TheWeekInCongress (July 9-13, 2007)

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It was an eventful week on Capitol Hill, as several high-profile issues were debated and considered in both the House and Senate. The Iraq War continues to dominate both chambers, as each considered bills aimed at changing U.S. military policy in the country. For an in-depth look at the major bills considered in Congress since Monday, we again turn to Robert McElroy’s TheWeekInCongress. His site is a great resource for citizens wishing to keep track of what their members are up to in Washington, and we urge you to check it out. Follow the headlines below to the Congresspedia articles covering the respective issues, which in turn link to and heavily rely on McElroy’s analyses.

• The Senate considered several amendments to the 2008 Defense Department authorization bill. One, offered by freshman Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), would have mandated minimum time intervals between overseas deployments of U.S. troops. The amendment, which was defeated by a Republican-led filibuster, would likely have forced a sizable troop withdrawal by 2008 and prevented future escalations in troop levels. A similar amendment, introduced by Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), was also blocked.
• The House passed a bill which would require the U.S. to begin removing combat troops from Iraq within 120 days of passage and have only a “limited presence” in the country by Apr. 1, 2008.
• The House passed a bill aimed at reducing the cost of attending college. It would increase Pell Grants, reduce loan interest rates, and provide additional avenues for students to receive credits towards education expenses.
• The House passed a bill which would require landlords to increase inspections of public housing units and withhold funds until all violations are corrected.
• The House passed a bill intended to make it easier for citizens to receive kidney transplants.