A mortgage rescue to help hundreds of thousands of struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure and get more affordable, safer loans passed the Senate overwhelmingly Friday, but it faces a bumpy road amid continuing turmoil in the housing market.

A long-stalled mortgage rescue inched Thursday toward Senate passage, only to be sent back to the House for more votes and intense negotiations to resolve disputes.

The pace of the mortgage industry's efforts to assist troubled borrowers declined in May, as critics questioned lenders' progress in aiding U.S. homeowners facing foreclosure.