Congressional action

A look at actions in Congress on Wednesday:

Budget battle: Congress sent President Bush a $70 billion bill to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The money is inside a $555 billion catchall spending bill that combines the war money with money for 14 Cabinet departments.

Alternative minimum tax: Congress sent President Bush legislation blocking the growth of the alternative minimum tax. The House voted 352-64 for a one-year fix of the tax, which was created to make sure very rich people did not totally avoid paying taxes. The main beneficiaries of the tax relief would be people in the $75,000 to $200,000 income level.

Guns: Congress approved legislation that would make it easier to flag prospective gun buyers who have documented medical problems. The legislation clarifies what mental health records should be reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which gun dealers use to determine whether to sell a prospective buyer a firearm.

SCHIP: Congress sent an extension of a popular health insurance program for children to Bush. Lawmakers supported a $35 billion expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Bush vetoed two bills that would have provided the additional money but is expected to sign this version.

Toy safety: The House approved a bill that lawmakers hope will make children’s toys safer and increase the powers of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Under the bill, anything more than a minute amount of lead would be banned in toys meant for children under 12. The bill also increases the agency’s budget to as much as $100 million by 2011, gives $20 million to modernize the commission’s testing lab and bans industry-sponsored travel for the commission.

Heat aid: Congress acted to give extra home heating assistance to cash-strapped families. The government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance program would get roughly $409 million more. The program provides heating and cooling subsidies for the poor.