This Week on Capitol Hill

With an historic housing bill under its belt, Congress turns this week to tie up as many loose legislative ends as it can before heading home for a month of sun and fun (and, yeah, some campaigning).

The tax tango. As in years past, a number of popular tax breaks are set to expire this year and - as in the past - the House and Senate are expected to extend them, but not before dancing through a familiar debate over whether to pay for those cuts by raising taxes elsewhere (which the House prefers) or just adding them on to our debt (the Senate's choice). This week senators make their move, extending tax credits that add up to $126 billion including a middle class escape from the Alternative Minimum Tax, R&D credits for business and alternative energy incentives.

As part of the tax bill, senators may also end up okaying $4 billion in disaster relief for Midwest farmers and a final insurance bill that gives patients more access to mental health coverage.

Gas pumpers: The House continues "pain at the pump" month this week, voting on a measure to giving federal regulators a tighter rein on energy speculators, who are thought by some economists to be inflating the price of oil. A series of energy bills being pushed by Democrats and Republicans are widely seen to be more about political posturing than bringing down the price of gas, but a coalition of House moderates may do the unexpected this week and bring up a bipartisan gas bill with a chance of passing.

• see more on energy legislation in Congress this year and on the gas price debate

The House also votes on their first '09 budget bill, for Military Construction and Veterans, HR 6599, as well as an employment bill giving women more legal muscle to sue for pay discrimination, HR 1338, and possibly a measure placing tobacco under the FDA's regulatory umbrella.

Senate leaders, meanwhile, are engaged in an unusual face off this week to outmaneuver Sen. Tom Coburn, a one man stand against duplicative spending. Coburn has single-handedly stopped a slew of minor bills - that normally fly through the Senate under fast-track "unanimous consent" rules - but which the senator thinks are a waste of money. Having had enough, Senate leader Reid is bundling 35 of those Co-burned bills into one package, S 3297, that should pass into law - via the normal senatorial, sluggish rules of debate. (Washington Post)

Finally, both chambers may polish off a final product safety bill, HR 4040, that would give the Consumer Protection Bureau more money and authority to test and recall toys.

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: Congress is off for August and cJ'll take a little break too. We'll be back at you September 8th!