Bills, bills bills: The big order of business for Congress this week is to continue passing the federal budget for the 2008 fiscal year (which started on Oct. 30), including funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The big farm bill and legislation aimed at the mortgage crisis are also on the front burner.

Last week Congress sent the first two 2008 appropriation bills [3], on domestic and defense spending, to President Bush (twelve must eventually be passed). Congressional Democratic leaders abandoned plans several weeks ago to attach $50 billion in "bridge" funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan [4] (about 1/4 of the $196 billion Bush requested for 2008) to the Defense appropriation bill. They now plan to offer the same $50 billion in the Senate this week with language being tied to the money that would require the draw-down of combat forces within 2 weeks of passage, with a complete withdrawal complete by Dec. 15, 2008. If Republicans block that bill, Democratic leaders have vowed to make Bush pay for the wars out of the regular budget until they are allowed to pass such language.

On the domestic side, the $151 billion budget for the departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services was vetoed, so Democrats will be working their Republican colleagues this week looking for enough votes to override. The House will be the battleground, since the roll-call there was several votes shy of a veto-proof majority.

The $51 billion Transportation-HUD spending bill faces a similar fate: Bush has promised to veto it as well. Debate is expected to continue this week on the nine other remaining measures.

Partisan differences over amendments offered on the 2007 farm bill [5] will likely keep the measure off the Senate calendar again this week. Work on a new energy bill might relieve some of the pressure on the farm bill, since Sen. Energy Committee ranking member Pete Domenici wants to include alternate fuels language in whichever bill moves forward.

Finally, with the stock market still feeling the effects of the housing credit crisis, lawmakers are working on a bill to place new regulations on lenders. The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2007 [6] would require lenders to prove borrowers could repay adjustable-rate mortgages, and increase the oversight responsibility of federal banking regulators.

Have something to say about these bills? Each Congresspedia profile on members of Congress has phone numbers to their DC and Washington offices. Find your senator or representative [7] and speak out.

Click through the jump to a full listing of this week's committee schedules.

Here are the committee hearings scheduled for this week in Congress:

Hearings Schedules:

November 13, 2007

Senate

• Senate Judiciary Committee [8]
  To hold hearings to examine the scope of public performance rights, 9:30 a.m., SD-226.
• Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works [9]
  To continue hearings to examine S. 2191, to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, 10 a.m., SD-406.
• Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship [10]
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Small Business Administration, focusing on preventing loan fraud and improving regulation of lenders, 10 a.m., SR-428A.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia [11]
  To hold hearings to examine the human capital needs of a United States Customs and Border Protection initiative, focusing on border security, and progress and weaknesses in traveler inspections at our Nation's ports of entry, 10 a.m., SD-342
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation [12]
  To hold hearings to examine the accuracy of the Federal Trade Commission on the tar and nicotine cigarette rating system, 2:30 p.m., SR-253.
• Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources [13]
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (Public Law 95-87), focusing on policy issues 30 years later, 2:30 p.m., SD-366.
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence [14]
  To hold hearings to examine congressional oversight, 2:30 p.m., SH-216.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations [15]
  To hold hearings to examine international climate change negotiations, focusing on restoring United States leadership, 2:30 p.m., SD-419.

House

• House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations [16]
  To continue hearings entitled “Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of the Nation's Food Supply?--Part IV--Deception in Labeling” 11 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Management, Investigations and Oversight [17]
  Hearing on Examining the Department of Homeland Security's Efforts to Recruit, Hire and Promote Veterans, 2 p.m., 311 Cannon.
• House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands [18]
  Hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2334, Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness and Indian Peaks Wilderness Expansion Act; H.R. 2632, Sabinoso Wilderness Act of 2007; H.R. 3287, Tumacacori Highland Wilderness Act of 2007; H.R. 3513, Copper Salmon Wilderness Act; and H.R. 3682, California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act, 2 p.m., 1324 Longworth.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia [19]
  Hearing on Opportunities Exist to Improve SES Diversity in Legislative Branch Agencies, 2 p.m., 2247 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Community [20]
  Hearing on LIHEAP: Overview and Current Issues, 3 p.m., 2175 Rayburn.

November 14, 2007

Senate

• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions [21]
  Business meeting to consider S. 1551, to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to making progress toward the goal of eliminating tuberculosis, S. 1858, to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish grant programs to provide for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated follow-up care once newborn screening has been conducted, to reauthorize programs under part A of title XI of such Act, S. 911, to amend the Public Health Service Act to advance medical research and treatments into pediatric cancers, ensure patients and families have access to the current treatments and information regarding pediatric cancers, establish a population-based national childhood cancer database, and promote public awareness of pediatric cancers, S. 1916, to amend the Public Health Service Act to modify the program for the sanctuary system for surplus chimpanzees by terminating the authority for the removal of chimpanzees from the system for research purposes, S. 1382, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide the establishment of an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry, S. 1970, to establish a National Commission on Children and Disasters, a National Resource Center on Children and Disasters, and an original bill entitled, “Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007”, and any pending nominations, 9:30 a.m., SD-430.
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs [22]
  Business meeting to mark up pending legislation; to be immediately followed by a hearing to examine the nomination of Michael W. Hager, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Human Resources and Management), 9:30 a.m., SD-562.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs [11]
  Business meeting to consider S. 1667, to establish a pilot program for the expedited disposal of Federal real property, S. 1000, to enhance the Federal Telework Program, H.R. 390, to require the establishment of a national database in the National Archives to preserve records of servitude, emancipation, and post-Civil War reconstruction and to provide grants to State and local entities to establish similar local databases, H.R. 3571, to amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to permit individuals who have served as employees of the Office of Compliance to serve as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, or General Counsel of the Office, and to permit individuals appointed to such positions to serve one additional term, S. 2174, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 175 South Monroe Street in Tiffin, Ohio, as the “Paul E. Gillmor Post Office Building”, H.R. 2089, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 701 Loyola Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, as the “Louisiana Armed Services Veterans Post Office”, S. 2292, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002, to establish the Office for Bombing Prevention, to address terrorist explosive threats, H.R. 3297, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 950 West Trenton Avenue in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, as the “Nate DeTample Post Office Building”, H.R. 3308, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 216 East Main Street in Atwood, Indiana, as the “Lance Corporal David K. Fribley Post Office”, H.R. 3530, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, Florida, as the “Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office Building”, H.R. 2276, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 203 North Main Street in Vassar, Michigan, as the “Corporal Christopher E. Esckelson Post Office Building”, H.R. 3325, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 235 Mountain Road in Suffield, Connecticut, as the “Corporal Stephen R. Bixler Post Office”, S. 2110, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 427 North Street in Taft, California, as the “Larry S. Pierce Post Office”, H.R. 3382, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 200 North William Street in Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the “Philip A. Baddour, Sr. Post Office”, S. 2290, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 16731 Santa Ana Avenue in Fontana, California, as the “Beatrice E. Watson Post Office Building'', S. 2272, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service known as the Southpark Station in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John “Marty” Thiels Southpark Station, in honor and memory of Thiels, a Louisiana postal worker who was killed in the line of duty on October 4, 2007, H.R. 3446, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 202 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall, Michigan, as the “Michael W. Schragg Post Office Building”, S. 2150 and H.R. 3572, bills to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4320 Blue Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri, as the “Wallace S. Hartsfield Post Office Building”, S. 2107 and H.R. 3307, bills to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 570 Broadway in Bayonne, New Jersey, as the “Dennis P. Collins Post Office Building”, H.R. 3518, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1430 South Highway 29 in Cantonment, Florida, as the “Charles H. Hendrix Post Office D1508Building”, and other pending calendar business, 10 a.m., SD-342.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation [12]
  Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine ways to improve the Federal Climate Change Research and Information Program, 10 a.m., SR-253.
• Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources [13]
  To hold hearings to examine the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership relating to the United States policy on nuclear fuel management, 10 a.m., SD-366.
• Senate Committee on Finance [23]
  To hold hearings to examine the federal estate tax, focusing on uncertainty in planning under the current law, 10 a.m., SD-215.
• Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law [8]
  To hold hearings to examine accountability for human rights violators in the United States, 10 a.m., SD-226.
• Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety [21]
  To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions [20]
  To examine the National Labor Relations Board, focusing on recent decisions and the adjudication process, 10 a.m., 2175-RHOB.
• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs [24]
  To hold hearings to examine shareholder rights and proxy access, 10:30 a.m., SD-538
• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs [24]
  Full committee, to hold hearings to examine sovereign wealth fund acquisitions and other foreign government investments in the United States, focusing on economic and national security implications, 2 p.m., SD-538.
• Permanent Senate Subcommittee on Investigation [25]
  To hold hearings to examine Medicaid providers, focusing on a recent study conducted by the Government Accountability Office on unpaid taxes, the extent of the problem, and possible solutions, 2:30 p.m., SD-342.
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence [14]
  Full Committee, meeting of conferees on proposed legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2008 for the intelligence community, 4:30 p.m., S-407, Capitol.

House

• House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe [26]
  Hearing on U.S.-Greece Relations and Regional Issues, 2:30 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch [27]
  Hearing on Capitol Visitor Center, 9 a.m., 2359 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Education and Labor [20]
  Full committee, to mark up the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007, 9 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Armed Services [28]
  Hearing on Africa Command, 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Homeland Security [17]
  Full Committee, hearing entitled “Cover Blown--Did TSA Tip Off Airport Screeners about Covert Testing?” 10 a.m., 311 Cannon.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs [26]
  Hearing on the Merida Initiative: Assessing Plans to Step Up our Security Cooperation with Mexico and Central America, 10 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
• Committee on the Judiciary House Judiciary Committee [29]
  Hearing on Establishing Consistent Enforcement Policies in the Context of Online Wagers, 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform [19]
  Full committee, hearing on Assessing Whistle Blower Allegations Against the State Department Inspector General, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Urban and Rural Entrepreneurship [30]
  Hearing on Program Harmonization in Rural America--How the Small Business Administration and the Department of Agriculture Can Work Together to Better Serve Small Businesses, 10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support [31]
  Hearing on Effects of Gap in Health Coverage on Work, Family and Opportunity, 10 a.m., 1100 Longworth.
• House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming [32]
  Hearing entitled “State Leadership Towards a Low-Carbon Energy Future,” 10 a.m., room to be announced.
• House Committee on Natural Resources [18]
  Full committee, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2445, To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to recognize Alexander Creek as a Native village; H.R. 3350, Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act; H.R. 3351, Native American Challenge Demonstration Project Act of 2007; and 3560, Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization Act, 11 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
• House Committee on Small Business [30]
  Hearing on Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404: New Evidence on the Cost of Small Companies, 1:30 p.m., 2360 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy [19]
  Hearing on the Environmental Risks of and Regulatory Response to Dental Mercury Amalgam, 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs [19]
  To continue hearings on Iran: Reality, Options and Consequences, Part 3--Regional and Global Consequences of U.S. Military Action in Iran, 2 p.m., 2247 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Rules [33]
  To consider H.R. 3915, Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2007, 2 p.m., H-313 Capitol.

November 15, 2007

Senate

• Senate Committee on Armed Services [34]
  To hold hearings to examine the state of the United States Army, 9:30 a.m., SH-216.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related Agencies [12]
  To hold hearings to examine issues facing the United States space program after retirement of the space shuttles, 10 a.m., SR-253.
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources [13]
  Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine S. 2203, to reauthorize the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund, 10 a.m., SD-366.
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety [35]
  To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions [20]
  To examine the National Labor Relations Board, focusing on recent decisions and the adjudication process, 10 a.m., 2175-RHOB.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia [11]
  To hold hearings to examine the national level of preparedness of the United States to respond following a radiological dispersion device (RDD) or ``dirty bomb'' attack, focusing on the coordination with and capabilities of Federal, State, and local governments to work together, 10 a.m., SD-342.
• Senate Judiciary Committee [8]
  Full Committee, business meeting to consider S. 352, to provide for media coverage of Federal court proceedings, S. 2248, to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, to modernize and streamline the provisions of that Act, S. 344, to permit the televising of Supreme Court proceedings, S. 1638, to adjust the salaries of Federal justices and judges, S. Res. 366, designating November 2007 as ``National Methamphetamine Awareness Month'', to increase awareness of methamphetamine abuse, S. Res. 367, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the mass movement for Soviet Jewish freedom and the 20th anniversary of the Freedom Sunday rally for Soviet Jewry on the National Mall, and the nominations of Joseph N. Laplante, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Hampshire, Reed Charles O'Connor, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas, Thomas D. Schroeder, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, and Amul R. Thapar, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky, 10 a.m., SD-226.
• Senate Special Committee on Aging [36]
  To hold hearings to examine nursing home transparency and improvement, focusing on Federal, State, and industry initiatives to improve nursing home transparency, enforcement, and the quality of services in the country's 16,000 nursing homes, 1:30 p.m., SD-G50.
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions [35]
  Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine restoring Congressional intent and protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (Public Law 101-336), 2 p.m., SD-430.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations [15]
  Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the anti-drug package for Mexico and Central America, 2:30 p.m., SD-419.
• Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations [37]
  To hold hearings to examine speculation in the crude oil market, 2:30 p.m., SD-342.
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence [14]
  Full Committee, to hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., SH-219.

House

• House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law [38]
  Oversight hearing on Protecting the Playroom: Holding Foreign Manufacturers Accountable for Defective Products, 9:30 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities [28] Hearing on strategic communications and countering ideological support for terrorism, 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform [19]
  Full committee, hearing on One Year Later: Have TSA Airport Security Checkpoints Improved? 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation [39]
  Hearing on the Next Generation Border and Maritime Security Technologies: H.R. 3916, To provide for the next generation of border and maritime security technologies, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Small Business [30]
  Full Committee, hearing on Reducing the Regulatory Burden on Small Business: Improving the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation [40]
  Hearing on Aviation and Airport Holiday Travel Preparations, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health [31]
  Hearing on Trends in Nursing Home Ownership and Quality, 10 a.m., 1100 Longworth.
• House Committee on Natural Resources [41]
  Full committee, to mark up the following bills: H.R. 4074, San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act; H.R. 2176, To provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Bay Mills Indian Community; H.R. 4115, To provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; H.R. 123, To authorize appropriations for the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund; H.R. 236, North Bay Water Reuse Program Act of 2007; H.R. 2085, McGee Creek Project Pipeline and Associated Facilities Conveyance Act; and H.R. 3739, To amend the Arizona Water Settlements Act to modify the requirement for the statement of findings, 11 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
• House_Committee_on_Veterans%27_Affairs House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity [42]
  Hearing to review Pending MGIB legislation, 1 p.m., 340 Cannon.
• House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response [17]
  Hearing entitled ``Leveraging Mutual Aid for Effective Emergency Response,'' 2 p.m., 311 Cannon.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight [26]
  Hearing on Diplomatic Assurances on Torture: A Case Study of Why Some Are Accepted and Others Rejected, 3 p.m., 2237 Rayburn.