American Notes HOMELESS

The temperature in the capital dipped into the blustery 30s, but participants in "The Grate American Sleep-Out" were undaunted. A dozen members of Congress (including Joe Kennedy), three actors (including Martin Sheen) and Washington Mayor Marion Barry spent the night on a grate near the Library of Congress last week to illustrate the plight of the country's estimated 2 million homeless.

"We're not being pretentious," said Texas Democrat Mickey Leland, who wore a stocking cap and several shirts. "We have to keep the issue before the public." That he did: a dozen television cameras were on hand.

The next day the House passed a $725 million bill to provide food, shelter and rent for the homeless over four years. But because of the federal deficit, the legislation has little chance of being funded when appropriations bills are marked up later this year.