FLETCHER, Circuit Judge:
Gregory and Esther Stackhouse appeal from the Ninth Circuit bankruptcy appellate panel (BAP) decision affirming the bankruptcy court’s grant of summary judg[1419]*1419ment in favor of David Rock Hudson (debt- or) holding that any judgment debt that might be entered in a pending suit for damages arising from drunk driving would be dischargeable. The dispositive issue on appeal is whether 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9), requires that a creditor obtain judgment for damages against a debtor prior to the debt- or’s filing for bankruptcy as a prerequisite to having declared nondischargeable a debt arising from damages caused by drunk driving. We hold that a prepetition judgment is not required, and reverse the decision of the BAP.
FACTS
The facts are not in dispute. On March 28, 1982, Gregory Stackhouse was seriously injured in an automobile-motorcycle collision with Hudson. Immediately after the collision, a Washington state trooper administered a breathalyzer test to Hudson. He was cited for and later convicted of driving while intoxicated.
Stackhouse and his wife filed suit against Hudson in state court for injuries sustained in the accident. On December 12, 1985, the day before trial was to begin, Hudson filed a Chapter 7 petition in bankruptcy. The state court action was stayed.
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Western Washington set April 7, 1986 as the last day for filing complaints to determine dischargeability under § 523(c). On March 24, 1986, Hudson filed a complaint to determine the dis-chargeability under § 523(a)(9) of the Stackhouses’ state tort claim against him. The Stackhouses had until April 28, 1986, to respond. On April 24, 1986, the Stack-houses filed an answer to the complaint, with counterclaims against Hudson.1 The response was timely under § 523(a)(9), but was filed after the deadline for filing § 523(c) nondischargeability complaints.
On April 23, 1986, the bankruptcy judge granted a discharge to Hudson on the ground that no complaint objecting to discharge had been filed within the allowed time. Hudson then filed a motion for summary judgment on his complaint, based on the discharge already granted. Hudson also argued that the Stackhouses could not recover under § 523(a)(9) because they did not have a judgment or consent decree as required by the statute.
On September 9, 1986, the bankruptcy court ordered that judgment be entered in favor of Hudson. The court found the Stackhouses’ claim against Hudson dis-chargeable because 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9), by its literal terms, exempts from discharge only those drunk-driving claims that have been reduced to judgment before the filing of bankruptcy. The court further found that § 523(a)(6) was equally unavailing because the Stackhouses had not requested relief under that subsection pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(c), and that even if such relief could be found in the counterclaim, it was untimely pursuant to Bankr. R. 4007(c).
The BAP affirmed the bankruptcy court’s decision. In re Hudson, 73 B.R. 649 (9th Cir. BAP 1987). The Stackhouses timely appeal to this court.
JURISDICTION AND STANDARD OF REVIEW
We have jurisdiction over appeals from the BAP under 28 U.S.C. § 158(d). The BAP’s conclusions of law are subject to de novo review. In re American Mariner Ind., 734 F.2d 426, 429 (9th Cir.1984).
DISCUSSION
This is the first time a federal appeals court has been called upon to interpret the dischargeability provision of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9). Our objective when interpreting a federal statute “is to ascertain the intent of Congress and to give effect to legislative will.” United States v. Taylor, 802 F.2d 1108, 1113 (9th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 1094, 107 S.Ct. 1309, 94 L.Ed.2d 164 (1987). “The most persuasive evidence of ... [congressional] intent is the words selected by Congress.” Foxgord v. Hischemoeller, 820 F.2d 1030, 1032 (9th Cir.1987) (quoting Director, Office of [1420]*1420Workers’ Compensation Programs v. Forsyth Energy, Inc., 666 F.2d 1104, 1107 (7th Cir.1981)). We thus begin with the language of the statute itself, Blum v. Stenson, 465 U.S. 886, 896, 104 S.Ct. 1541, 1548, 79 L.Ed.2d 891 (1984); United States v. Turkette, 452 U.S. 576, 580, 101 S.Ct. 2524, 2527, 69 L.Ed.2d 246 (1981), and “[a]bsent a clearly expressed legislative intention to the contrary, that language must ordinarily be regarded as conclusive.” Consumer Product Safety Comm’n v. GTE Sylvania, Inc., 447 U.S. 102, 108, 100 S.Ct. 2051, 2056, 64 L.Ed.2d 766 (1980); see also INS v. Cardoza-Fonseca, 480 U.S. 421, 107 S.Ct. 1207, 1212-14, 94 L.Ed.2d 434 (1987).
A. Current Interpretation of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9)
The language of § 523(a)(9) reads as follows:
A discharge under section 727,1141, or 1328(b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—
(9) to any entity, to the extent that such debt arises from a judgment or consent decree entered in a court of record against the debtor wherein liability was incurred by such debtor as a result of the debtor’s operation of a motor vehicle while legally intoxicated under the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction within the United States or its territories wherein such motor vehicle was operated and within which such liability was incurred[.]
11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9) (Supp.1986) (emphasis added). Although the code section describes the subject debt as one which arises from a judgment or consent decree, the statute does not specifically address whether a claim must be reduced to judgment or consent decree before the debtor files for bankruptcy. This had encouraged debtor parties to argue that the statute requires reduction of the claim to judgment or consent decree prior to bankruptcy.
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FLETCHER, Circuit Judge:
Gregory and Esther Stackhouse appeal from the Ninth Circuit bankruptcy appellate panel (BAP) decision affirming the bankruptcy court’s grant of summary judg[1419]*1419ment in favor of David Rock Hudson (debt- or) holding that any judgment debt that might be entered in a pending suit for damages arising from drunk driving would be dischargeable. The dispositive issue on appeal is whether 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9), requires that a creditor obtain judgment for damages against a debtor prior to the debt- or’s filing for bankruptcy as a prerequisite to having declared nondischargeable a debt arising from damages caused by drunk driving. We hold that a prepetition judgment is not required, and reverse the decision of the BAP.
FACTS
The facts are not in dispute. On March 28, 1982, Gregory Stackhouse was seriously injured in an automobile-motorcycle collision with Hudson. Immediately after the collision, a Washington state trooper administered a breathalyzer test to Hudson. He was cited for and later convicted of driving while intoxicated.
Stackhouse and his wife filed suit against Hudson in state court for injuries sustained in the accident. On December 12, 1985, the day before trial was to begin, Hudson filed a Chapter 7 petition in bankruptcy. The state court action was stayed.
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Western Washington set April 7, 1986 as the last day for filing complaints to determine dischargeability under § 523(c). On March 24, 1986, Hudson filed a complaint to determine the dis-chargeability under § 523(a)(9) of the Stackhouses’ state tort claim against him. The Stackhouses had until April 28, 1986, to respond. On April 24, 1986, the Stack-houses filed an answer to the complaint, with counterclaims against Hudson.1 The response was timely under § 523(a)(9), but was filed after the deadline for filing § 523(c) nondischargeability complaints.
On April 23, 1986, the bankruptcy judge granted a discharge to Hudson on the ground that no complaint objecting to discharge had been filed within the allowed time. Hudson then filed a motion for summary judgment on his complaint, based on the discharge already granted. Hudson also argued that the Stackhouses could not recover under § 523(a)(9) because they did not have a judgment or consent decree as required by the statute.
On September 9, 1986, the bankruptcy court ordered that judgment be entered in favor of Hudson. The court found the Stackhouses’ claim against Hudson dis-chargeable because 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9), by its literal terms, exempts from discharge only those drunk-driving claims that have been reduced to judgment before the filing of bankruptcy. The court further found that § 523(a)(6) was equally unavailing because the Stackhouses had not requested relief under that subsection pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(c), and that even if such relief could be found in the counterclaim, it was untimely pursuant to Bankr. R. 4007(c).
The BAP affirmed the bankruptcy court’s decision. In re Hudson, 73 B.R. 649 (9th Cir. BAP 1987). The Stackhouses timely appeal to this court.
JURISDICTION AND STANDARD OF REVIEW
We have jurisdiction over appeals from the BAP under 28 U.S.C. § 158(d). The BAP’s conclusions of law are subject to de novo review. In re American Mariner Ind., 734 F.2d 426, 429 (9th Cir.1984).
DISCUSSION
This is the first time a federal appeals court has been called upon to interpret the dischargeability provision of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9). Our objective when interpreting a federal statute “is to ascertain the intent of Congress and to give effect to legislative will.” United States v. Taylor, 802 F.2d 1108, 1113 (9th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 1094, 107 S.Ct. 1309, 94 L.Ed.2d 164 (1987). “The most persuasive evidence of ... [congressional] intent is the words selected by Congress.” Foxgord v. Hischemoeller, 820 F.2d 1030, 1032 (9th Cir.1987) (quoting Director, Office of [1420]*1420Workers’ Compensation Programs v. Forsyth Energy, Inc., 666 F.2d 1104, 1107 (7th Cir.1981)). We thus begin with the language of the statute itself, Blum v. Stenson, 465 U.S. 886, 896, 104 S.Ct. 1541, 1548, 79 L.Ed.2d 891 (1984); United States v. Turkette, 452 U.S. 576, 580, 101 S.Ct. 2524, 2527, 69 L.Ed.2d 246 (1981), and “[a]bsent a clearly expressed legislative intention to the contrary, that language must ordinarily be regarded as conclusive.” Consumer Product Safety Comm’n v. GTE Sylvania, Inc., 447 U.S. 102, 108, 100 S.Ct. 2051, 2056, 64 L.Ed.2d 766 (1980); see also INS v. Cardoza-Fonseca, 480 U.S. 421, 107 S.Ct. 1207, 1212-14, 94 L.Ed.2d 434 (1987).
A. Current Interpretation of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9)
The language of § 523(a)(9) reads as follows:
A discharge under section 727,1141, or 1328(b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—
(9) to any entity, to the extent that such debt arises from a judgment or consent decree entered in a court of record against the debtor wherein liability was incurred by such debtor as a result of the debtor’s operation of a motor vehicle while legally intoxicated under the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction within the United States or its territories wherein such motor vehicle was operated and within which such liability was incurred[.]
11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9) (Supp.1986) (emphasis added). Although the code section describes the subject debt as one which arises from a judgment or consent decree, the statute does not specifically address whether a claim must be reduced to judgment or consent decree before the debtor files for bankruptcy. This had encouraged debtor parties to argue that the statute requires reduction of the claim to judgment or consent decree prior to bankruptcy. However, the bankruptcy courts addressing this issue have, until this case, unanimously concluded that the language of § 523(a)(9) does not require that a claim be reduced to judgment or consent decree prior to the offender’s bankruptcy.2
These courts have reasoned that, given the clear intent of Congress to prevent drunken drivers from escaping liability by discharging debts in bankruptcy, adherence to a requirement that a creditor first obtain a “judgment or consent decree” would effectively nullify the statute. Such an interpretation would merely encourage drunk drivers to file preemptively for bankruptcy once it became clear that they would be held civilly accountable for their actions. As the court observed in In re Thomas, 51 B.R. 187 (Bkrtcy.E.D.Va.1985), “[a]s worded, the legislation gives quick-thinking drunks or their attorneys an out. If they can race to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court before the injured can obtain a state court judgment, the intoxicated debtor can still prevail.” Id. at 188-89. The court went on to note that such a “race” would give the debtor a clear advantage since it takes “considerably longer to obtain a judgment than it does to file bankruptcy.” Id. at 189. Concluding that Congress could not have intended this result, the court gave “[a] creditor who has not had reasonable time to seek a judgment in state court ... leave of this court to diligently prosecute his claim in state court.” Id. at 189.
The same conclusion was reached in In re Ganzer. Likewise acknowledging that a statute requires a judgment or consent decree, the Ganzer court expressed even stronger condemnation of reading it to require that the creditor obtain judgment before the bankruptcy petition is filed:
Presumably, Congressional intent in enacting 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9) was to preclude a debtor’s discharge from liability on a claim arising out of the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence [1421]*1421of alcohol. If a •prepetition judgment determining liability to have been incurred by the debtor under such circumstances, be required, the statute is practically useless. Only in cases of legal malpractice will prepetition judgments ever be entered. This Court will not presume Congress to have intended to sabotage its legislation and create such an absurdity.
54 B.R. at 76-77 (emphasis in original).
Rather than endorse an absurd result clearly contrary to expressed legislative intent, bankruptcy courts have uniformly followed Thomas and Ganzer. See, e.g., In re Leach, 63 B.R. at 727 (“The appellant has not cited case authority, nor is this court aware of any, which supports the proposition that § 523(a)(9) is only available to claimants who reduce their claims to judgment or consent decree before the debtor files in bankruptcy”),' In re Carney, 68 B.R. at 656 (“The absence of a judgment prior to bankruptcy has been deemed immaterial under § 523(a)(9) of the Code”).
B. Legislative History of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9)
We are mindful of the principle that where a statute is clear on its face, it is unnecessary to look to its legislative history to discern its meaning and scope. Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill, 437 U.S. 153, 184 n. 29, 98 S.Ct. 2279, 2296 n. 29, 57 L.Ed.2d 117 (1978). “Unless exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise, ‘[w]hen we find the terms of a statute unambiguous, judicial inquiry is complete.’ ” Burlington Northern R.R. Co. v. Oklahoma Tax Com’n, 481 U.S. 454, 107 S.Ct. 1855, 1860, 95 L.Ed.2d 404 (1987) (quoting Rubin v. United States, 449 U.S. 424, 430, 101 S.Ct. 698, 701, 66 L.Ed.2d 633 (1981)). See also Blum v. Stenson, 465 U.S. at 896, 104 S.Ct. at 1548 (“[W]e look first to the statutory language and then to the legislative history if the statutory language is unclear”); Mobil Sales & Supply Corp. v. Panamax Venus, 804 F.2d 541, 542 (9th Cir.1986).
With respect to the timing of the reduction of a claim to “judgment or consent decree” under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(9), the statutory language is unclear. In this respect, the statute is ambiguous. Thus, we must examine the legislative history in order to construe the statute in such a way as to “give effect to the legislative will.” Taylor, 802 F.2d at 1113.
The impetus behind § 523(a)(9), as expressed in Congressional members’ statements on the record, supports the reading the bankruptcy courts have adopted. The origin of what was to become § 523(a)(9) was a bill introduced by Senator Danforth to amend Title 11 of the Code. The legislation he proposed in S. 605 was intended to clear up the conflict in the courts over the dischargeability of DWI judgments. At the time, persons with claims against debtors arising from drunk driving could protect their claims from discharge only if they succeeded in characterizing drunk driving as a “willful” offense under § 523(a)(6). In the majority of states, however, drunk driving was not classified as willful. S. 605 aimed to resolve this anomaly by declaring that all such debts would be deemed to be willful and malicious for purposes of § 523(a)(6).3 Sen. Danforth explained:
Today there exists an unconscionable loophole in the bankruptcy statute which makes it possible for drunk drivers who have injured, killed, or caused property damage to others to escape civil liability for their actions by having their judgment debt discharged in Federal bankruptcy court. This loophole affords opportunities for scandalous abuse of judicial processes.
129 Cong.Rec. S1622 (daily ed. Feb. 24, 1983). He continued by relating a story of [1422]*1422a drunk driver who was ordered to pay $600,000 to the families of three teenagers and promptly walked across the street to bankruptcy court to escape civil liability. While anecdotal evidence such as this probably first brought the problem to the attention of lawmakers, Sen. Danforth’s references to “escaping] civil liability” and “scandalous abuse of judicial processes” suggest that Congress was concerned less with whether a judgment had been obtained against the debtor than with the underlying conduct giving rise to the cause of action. A drunk debtor escapes liability no less by filing for bankruptcy before a judgment is recovered against him than he does by filing afterward, and the seeming abuse of process is no less “scandalous.”
The language that finally became § 523(a)(9) was proposed by Senators Dole and Thurmond and was added as an amendment to S. 445, the Omnibus Bankruptcy Improvements Act of 1983. S. 1013, 98th Cong., 1st Sess. (1983). It was essentially a modified version of the bill originally introduced by Sen. Danforth. Statements of other legislators bear out the contention that combating drunk driving, and not protecting judgments, was the paramount concern of Congress. As summed up by Senator Heflin:
Also contained in this package is a modified version of a bill introduced by Senator DANFORTH which provides that a debt incurred as a result of an act of drunk driving is not dischargeable.... By making such debts nondischargeable, we can protect victims of the drunk driver and deter drunk driving....
[T]his amendment [will] prevent the discharge of judgments or claims where the debtor’s operation of a motor vehicle while legally intoxicated were to occur.
129 Cong.Rec. S5362 (daily ed. April 27, 1983) (emphasis added). Rep. Rodino, Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary, stated that § 523(a)(9) “clarifies present law relating to the nondischarge-ability of debts incurred by drunk drivers. Debts incurred by persons driving while intoxicated are presumed to be willfully and maliciously incurred under this provision.” 130 Cong.Rec. H7489 (daily ed. June 29, 1984), reprinted in 1984 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 576, 577.
Two members of Congress did refer specifically to judgments. Sen. Dole said the provision was intended “to ensure that victims of the drunk driver do not have their judgments against the drunk driver discharged in bankruptcy.” 130 Cong.Rec. S8890 (daily ed. June 29, 1984). Rep. Sawyer noted that “[j]udgments against drunk drivers for personal injuries ... could be discharged in bankruptcy like any other judgment; now that is prohibited.” 130 Cong.Rec. H7492 (daily ed. June 29, 1984). However, nothing in these remarks excludes claims not yet reduced to judgment.
Although no report was submitted with the final legislation, a Senate Judiciary Committee Report did accompany the Omnibus Act at its introduction. It described the provision as follows:
Subtitle “D” of the Committee bill is a modified version of S2159 (97th Congress), a bill introduced by Senator Dan-forth which would render debts incurred as a result of an act of drunk driving nondischargeable in bankruptcy. Under present law, a debt that is the result of a tortious act — such as a judgment against a debtor as the result of an automobile accident — is non-dischargeable only if the debt is the result of a “willful and malicious injury” to the property or person of another.
In most states, an injury resulting from an act of drunk driving will support a finding only of negligence on the part of the driver. Thus, more often than not, the debt is discharged — unless the bankruptcy court finds that the act of drunk driving was a willful and malicious act by the nature of the circumstances surrounding it.
This bill will help deter drunk driving, and protect victims of the drunk driver, by making such debts non-dischargeable in bankruptcy. Where a debt was incurred by the debtor as a result of an act of drunk driving, that debt will not be dischargeable regardless of any court finding that willful, wanton, or reckless behavior was or was not involved.
[1423]*1423S.Rep. No. 98-65, 98th Cong., 1st Sess. 43-44 (1983) (emphasis added). The report uses the word “judgment” as merely one example of a nondischargeable debt. It manifests Congress’ primary intent to put liability resulting from drunk driving on the same legal footing as liability arising from a “willful” act, which was nondis-chargeable under § 523(a)(6).
We think it evident that Congress sought three objectives when it adopted § 523(a)(9): (1) to deter drunk driving; (2) to ensure that those who caused injury by driving drunk did not escape civil liability through the bankruptcy laws; and (3) to protect victims of drunk driving. The interpretation of the statute adopted by the BAP advances none of these goals. Rather, it focuses undue attention on the intermittent appearance of the word “judgment” in congressional colloquy at the expense of a recognition of the broader goals of the statute. It makes an unfortunate distinction between debts that are dis-chargeable or nondischargeable based on whether the victim has reduced it to judgment prior to the debtor’s bankruptcy. Under BAP’s reading, those who do not recover quickly enough from their injuries, those who attempt first to settle their claims and spare the expense of going to court, and those who live in jurisdictions where a simple civil case may take years to come to trial lose their claims.
Such a holding encourages a “race to the courthouse” that the debtor can always win. “That is so because whereas the plaintiff has little or no control over the timing of the entry of a judgment, the debtor has full control over the timing of a bankruptcy petition. Thus, conceivably, a debtor can wait to file a bankruptcy petition until just after an adverse jury verdict on the underlying liability claim, (but before the entry of the judgment); under the debtor’s argument, the debt would still be dischargeable in that situation.” In re Smith, 83 B.R. 433, 435 (Bkrtcy.E.D.Mich. 1988). The purpose of the nondischarge-ability section in general was to remove from the debtor’s capacity to discharge certain classes of debts arising from practices Congress deemed so pernicious that bankruptcy should not be able to insulate the debtor from their payment. The BAP’s opinion puts control right back in the hands of the debtor. Congress, concerned with the plight of victims of drunken driving and their shattered families, could not have intended this result.
The leading bankruptcy commentator is in accord. “A creditor who has not had reasonable time to seek a judgment in state court prior to the debtor’s bankruptcy should be granted leave by the bankruptcy court to diligently prosecute his claim in state court.” 3 Collier on Bankruptcy 11 523.18A at 523-135 n. 2 (1988).
The legitimate function that the “judgment or consent decree” requirement serves — to ensure that the debtor’s liability “is judicially determined to have been incurred ... as a result of the operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated,” see Gan-za, 54 B.R. at 77 — is not disturbed by allowing the judicial determination to come after the bankruptcy filing.
Congressional silence in the face of several court decisions lends further support to this common-sense interpretation of the statute. Congress passed § 523(a)(9) in 1984; the first bankruptcy court opinions construing the statute not to require a pre-petition judgment appeared immediately thereafter. See, e.g., In re Thomas, 51 B.R. 187 (Bkrtcy.E.D.Va.1985); In re Gan-zer, 54 B.R. 75 (Bkrtcy.D.Minn.1985). What is more, no reported decision until now has ever read § 523(a)(9) to the contrary. Congress has had the opportunity to alter § 523(a)(9) if the courts’ interpretation is not what it intended. It has not done so. “[T]he very persistence ... among judges and executive officials, as well as among litigants and their counsel ... of [an] assumption ... and the absence of legislative action to change that assumption provide further evidence that Congress at least acquiesces in, and apparently affirms, that assumption.” Cannon v. Univ. of Chicago, 441 U.S. 677, 703, 99 S.Ct. 1946, 1961, 60 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979).
Since the enactment of § 523(a)(9), bankruptcy courts have consistently held, and [1424]*1424litigants relying on those opinions have assumed, that its language includes claims against drunk-driver bankrupts reduced to judgment after the commencement of the bankruptcy. We are not inclined to disturb this consistent body of law in which Congress apparently acquiesces.
The decisions of BAP and the bankruptcy court are REVERSED. We REMAND for further proceedings consistent with our opinion.