Scheduling

The Senate starts work at 9:30 a.m. and will resume debate on S. 743, the Marketplace Fairness Act.

On Wednesday, Senate Democrats filed a motion to end debate on the bill, which would allow states to collect sales taxes on purchases made online by residents. Without an agreement to go forward earlier, the vote to end debate will happen Friday, although Democratic leaders are hoping to finish work on the bill quickly — today, if possible.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) warned senators that they would work through the weekend if necessary to finish work on the online sales tax bill.

“I know this sounds like me crying wolf, but this might be the time the wolf is coming,” Reid said Wednesday. “If we have to be here Friday, Saturday, we’ve got to finish work on this bill.”

The House will consider a bill Wednesday that props up an insurance plan created by ObamaCare for people with pre-existing conditions.

Members will consider H.R. 1549, the Helping Sick Americans Now Act. The legislation would drain a preventive healthcare fund created by ObamaCare, and use most of the money to continue enrollment in the Pre-existing Conditions Insurance Plan (PCIP), which the Obama administration said is no longer open for enrollment.

The Senate returns at 10 a.m., and will resume debate on S. 743, the Marketplace Fairness Act. On Monday, senators agreed 74-20 to end debate on the motion to proceed to the bill.

As of late Monday, the Senate had no firm plans for votes on Tuesday. However, the Senate could hold a vote on the nomination of Jane Kelly to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Eighth Circuit.

Senate Democrats on Monday are hoping to rebound from last week's failure to advance gun legislation, and take up a bill that can pass the upper chamber.

They may have found one in S. 743, the Marketplace Fairness Act. The legislation is aimed at allowing states to tax online sales made to residents or businesses in their state.

The GOP-led House returns next week to do what many conservatives wish they wouldn't — consider a bill to shore up a key piece of ObamaCare.

Members will take up legislation that would take $3 billion from a preventive health fund created by the 2010 healthcare law and use it to fund the Pre-existing Conditions Insurance Plan (PCIP). The Obama administration stopped enrollment in that program earlier this year.

“It’s only a matter of time before we bring this anti-gun-violence measure back to the floor ,” Sen. Reid said.

Having gone 0-7 on amendments to gun control legislation on Wednesday, the Senate will try two more amendment votes today. After that, Democratic leaders will have to decide whether they want to try other amendments, vote on the bill, or take a break.

On Wednesday, the Senate showed just how far apart members are on gun control, and how little will there is to find a compromise — it was widely known that the amendments up for a vote would fail, yet the Senate proceeded anyway.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Wednesday that the Senate would continue amendment work on the gun control bill on Thursday morning.

The Senate was scheduled to vote on nine amendments Wednesday, but after seven failed, Reid announced the final two would get votes on Thursday.

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m., and in the afternoon it will start a series of amendment votes at 4 p.m. on the gun legislation, S. 649, the Safe Communities and Safe Schools Act.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced on Tuesday night that an agreement was reached to vote on nine amendments. The first vote will be on language from Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), which would scale back the background check requirements in the current bill.