Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told a House of Representatives panel on Wednesday his top priority is restoring U.S. financial calm even as weak growth and inflation threaten the economy, in prepared comments mirroring ones he made a day earlier to a Senate committee.

Bernanke, who spoke on the second of two days of semi-annual monetary policy testimony, was likely to face more lawmaker skepticism about a plan to backstop embattled mortgage finance enterprises Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM - News) and Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE - News). The two companies own or guarantee almost half of all U.S. mortgages and are vital to any recovery of the shattered U.S. housing market.

The companies' share prices tumbled precipitously last week as banks and financial institutions broadly came under pressure over losses from delinquent credits. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Sunday announced plans to seek authority to lend more extensively to the companies and buy equity capital if necessary.

Meanwhile the Fed opened discount window borrowing to the companies as an immediate backstop until lawmakers approve Paulson's proposal, which is aimed at reassuring investors the U.S. government stands squarely behind the congressionally chartered but privately held firms.

The plan ran into some political opposition on Tuesday as some lawmakers balked at approving unlimited lending to the two companies.