The House verges on hyperactivity this week possibly voting on (deep breath):

• its own SCHIP bill, which would add $50b to the program, along with a measure that would keep doctors' Medicare fees from dipping for the next two years;

• letting employees sue for wage discrimination after each pay check that gets cut (reversing a recent Supreme Court case);

• two final '08 budget bills - $460b for defense and $91b for agriculture. Although the defense bill doesn't include $142b that's expected to cover the wars, it will come with more battles over Iraq amendments; one that would start a drawdown in 60 days, others about required training and downtime for troops and one that would close Gitmo.

• a package of energy measures that are pretty slim on their own, but that may come with amendments to - increase gas mileage standards, push utilities to use renewable sources for 20% of their output, and boost biofuel production; and

• a measure that would make it easier for companies to divest from Iran and Sudan.

Both chambers will also try to polish off a long lingering lobby reform bill - that could possibly expose lobbyists' habit of "bundling" contributions - as well as a $20b water projects bill.

Citizen Joe  Government  Politics 

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