prosecutors over the past winter and Bush's program for eavesdropping on suspected terrorists without court warrants.

___

On the fired prosecutors:

_Bush has repeatedly insisted that Gonzales did nothing wrong since the dismissed U.S. attorneys were political appointees who served at the pleasure of the president.

_Democrats have finished pummeling the president's longtime friend over that matter and shifted to whether the White House — specifically departing presidential adviser Karl Rove — directed the dismissals in an effort to influence corruption probes and voter fraud cases. "This resignation is not the end of the story," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "Congress must get to the bottom of this mess and follow the facts where they lead, into the White House."

_Subponeas are still outstanding for Rove and other officials after Democrats rejected the White House's offer to let Democrats interview them in private and off the record. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to consider voting on a contempt citation against Rove after he — on Bush's order — ignored its subpoena.

_Contempt citations against two other White House officials, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former Counsel Harriet Miers have been approved by the House Judiciary Committee and could get a vote this fall by the full House.

_If not resolved, the struggle over whether White House officials are subject to congressional subpoenas could end up in federal court.

___

On the eavesdropping issue:

_Congress passed a temporary law just before adjourning for its August vacation to expand the government's ability to monitor suspects in national security investigations without first seeking court approval in certain cases.

_That law lasts for only six months. Democrats will move any extension of it beyond then to the top of their agenda this fall.

_The House Judiciary Committee plans hearings in September on the terms of the new law and the extent to which a special court established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act should supervise the government's surveillance.

The White House wants Congress to focus on making changes to the FISA law permanent.

"We're hopeful that Congress will refocus on legislative priorities, like FISA reform," said presidential spokesman Tony Fratto.