The Senate got rolling with its defense authorization bill, HR 1585, last week, but left a lineup of amendments to roll back troops in Iraq – to be voted on this week. Just about every Democrat, and now a growing number of Republicans, have their own pull out plan. The top runners would: start withdrawing troops in 120 days, with most out by next April; shift US troops out from major combat in to Iraqi border patrol and counter-terrorism efforts (in two similar amendments); repeal the 2002 authorization to go to war in the first place; and follow the 79 recommendations of the Iraq Study Group. Senators may also vote to give back habeas corpus (that is, the right to go to court) to enemy combatants in Gitmo.

The House gets back to budgeting with votes on two spending bills – a $32 billion Energy & Water bill, HR 2641, and a $154 billion bill, HR 3043, that covers labor, education and health.