This Week on Capitol Hill

Homeowner bail-out: The House gets serious about housing this week, lining up a bill that would cover up to $300 billion in federally backed mortgages for homeowners in default. But although it throws a wide net, the CBO thinks the bill would only end up saving about one in six of the 2.8 million homes expected to start foreclosure steps in the next four years.

While they're at it, lawmakers may also okay a years-in-the-making bill to tighten oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two quasi-governmental agencies that are also in the mortgage backing business. The Senate, which already passed a small-time housing bill, is expected to follow the House's lead in the upcoming weeks.

• see more on the housing fray

War bucks: With the Iraq and Afghanistan wars due for a cash injection, the House could okay $180 billion this week to pay for the operations through the end '08 and into '09. The president has asked for a "clean" bill without any home-spending add-ons, but passing up a chance to ride in on the coattails of a must-pass war bill is too much to ask of lawmakers - so expect measures to be tacked on, including: extensions for unemployment insurance, a sexual orientation hate crimes bill, and a hold on tightening Medicaid payments. Lawmakers may also revisit old scrimmages over troop withdrawal timelines.

• see more on war spending and the battles over withdrawal

Farm slog: House and Senate leaders are crawling across the finish line to pass "the farm bill," the mammoth act which covers farm subsidies, conservation programs and food stamps. The only thing standing in their way is a potential veto from the president, who prefers fewer wealthy farmers to be eligible for subsidies and wants our international food aid programs to buy more crops abroad (closer to the food's recipients).

• see more on what's in the farm bill

And more: The Senate hit a few bumps last week in getting an aviation bill off the ground; they'll try again this week. Senators may also vote on a flood insurance bill, while House members take up a bill to swashbuckle intellectual property piracy.

• see the federal aviation bill, HR 2881
• see the flood insurance bill, S 2284
• see the intellectual property bill, HR 4279

Down the pike: Before Summer arrives Congress could also take a look at; a final budget resolution; a patent reform bill; alternative energy tax breaks; a possible free trade agreement with Columbia and support for downsized workers; and intelligence wiretapping rules.

If you want to let your Congressfolk know where you stand on any of the issues above, you can email them through Congress.org, because...

Hey, it's your democracy too.

- teamJoe

Next update: May 12