House to vote on job development programs

The House will vote Friday morning on a bill to streamline and consolidate several federal job-skills development programs.

Republicans see the bill as part of an effort to highlight their party's interest in improving the economy and creating jobs at a time when their main focus is on spending cuts. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has led the charge on the bill. 

In a sense, the bill is a GOP attempt to get President Obama to act on his comment that the "maze" of federal jobs programs should be simplified. But House Democrats argued against the bill on Thursday, and the Obama administration has said it opposes the bill, arguing that it would eliminate several programs that help disadvantaged people who are looking for jobs.

Members approved the rule for this bill, H.R. 803, on Thursday. The rule allows an hour of debate and then consideration of five amendments, plus a manager's amendment.

Once the House is done, it's done for the week, and will prepare to pass the House GOP budget resolution for 2014 next week.

The Senate is also hoping to pass its budget resolution next week. But it will need to finish work on a continuing resolution for the rest of 2013.

Senate Democrats were hoping to finish the spending bill for this year on Thursday. But late in the day, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said there were still too many amendments to sift through, and that they would take up the bill again next week.

The Senate is out today, and returns Monday.

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