Dana Perino from the White House Wednesday said the administration still has concerns about some aspects of the housing bill, but does not believe there is time for a veto fight with Congress.

The housing bill legislation is scheduled to come to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday. President Bush had objected to a provision giving nearly $4 billion to communities to buy and repair foreclosed property.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson called the provision "wasteful," but said he encouraged the president to support the housing rescue bill.

Paulson emphasized the importance of a separate provision in the measure that grants the Treasury Department authority to expand government support for two troubled mortgage lenders, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The two large mortgage lending institutions have lost billions of dollars from a wave of recent mortgage defaults.

The housing rescue bill would allow the Treasury to extend additional credit to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It also would allow the government to buy the companies' stock if necessary.

Congressional budget analysts say the bill could cost taxpayers about $25 billion. But they say there is a better-than 50 percent chance the government will not have to use its emergency authority.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters. - VOA News