Good morning … FAA, housing and small business

The House returns at 2 p.m. Tuesday to consider two bills, with votes expected around 6:30 p.m.

First up is H.R. 1079, a temporary extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization through May 31. The House is hoping that temporary extension will give Congress time to approve a four-year extension, which the House will take up later this week (H.R. 658).

The House will suspend its rules to pass H.R. 1079, which will require a two-thirds majority of voting members.

The second bill is H.R. 839, which would terminate the Treasury Department's Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). Republicans argue that this program has had little impact on struggling homeowners, and would save a potential $29 billion that has been taken from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

Democrats have argued that the program has the potential to help thousands of homeowners, and can be expected to defend the program, as they have defended three other housing programs that Republicans voted to end earlier this month.

Nine amendments to the HAMP termination bill were made in order, which can be seen here.

On the other side of the Capitol, the Senate returns at 10 a.m. and is expected to continue consideration of S. 493, which would reauthorize small-business programs. Nearly 100 amendments to this bill have been put forward, and the Senate so far has been deliberating behind the scenes on which ones to consider.

On Monday, Senate Democrats indicated that they would once again support an amendment to eliminate IRS reporting language in last year's healthcare bill.