As the subprime meltdown continues, threatening Wall Street, Main Street and countless residential streets as well, consumer advocates are demanding federal intervention. The scale of the problem is large and growing. Nationwide, foreclosures more than doubled in the past year, and Georgia struggles with one of the country's highest foreclosure rates. Since January, 53,365 foreclosure sales have been scheduled in metro Atlanta. Two bills introduced in Congress would help more of those homeowners keep their homes. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Reps. Linda Sanchez (D-Ca.) and Brad Miller (D-N.C) have offered legislation that, among other things, would allow bankruptcy judges to modify the repayment terms of home loans on a borrower's primary residence. The law should give American families facing foreclosure the opportunity to negotiate a workout on their mortgages. This bill may help them reach a degree of financial stability -- even when the market cannot.Under current law, bankruptcy judges can modify loans for farms, vacation homes and commercial real estate but not for main residences. The bills would permit judges to help homeowners by lowering interest rates, extending the life of the loan or forgiving part of the debt. In areas with falling real estate prices, judges could reduce the principal of the loan to the home's fair market value. This may come as a relief to some folks who may be one of the next Atlanta Foreclosures.