Scheduling

Congress and the White House face a soft deadline next week for concluding work on a debt ceiling agreement that allows the U.S. to keep paying its bills beyond August 2, but also meets the Republican demand of committing to spending reductions.

President Obama has said he wants an agreement by the end of June, which would let Congress work on legislation to implement the deal in July. Under Obama's timeline, members essentially have until the end of this week, as the House is out next week.

House committees return next week to take up two issues weighing on the minds of members: small business access to credit and the federal budget outlook.

On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will testify before the House Small Business Committee on access to capital and credit. Geithner's testimony comes just as economic analysts are warning of a slowing economy again.

The House adjourned for the week at 3:37 p.m. Thursday, after House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) outlined a schedule for next week that includes patent reform, energy and the start of work on the Defense Department Appropriations bill.

The patent bill is H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act. While the Senate has already passed a similar version of this bill, it is somewhat controversial, for several different reasons. Several of these issues were pointed out in a "Dear Colleague" letter being circulated to build opposition to the bill.

The House returns at 9 a.m. for legislative work on the agriculture appropriations bill, which involves wrapping up votes on several more amendments. Members worked on amendments until 12:30 a.m. Thursday morning, when the Committee of the Whole finally rose and stretched its legs.

Among many others, members will vote Thursday on language that would stop payment on discrimination settlements involving black farmers, and two amendments related to USDA's "know your farmer, know your food" program.

Several amendments that would reduce the Food for Peace program and others were rejected in votes held Wednesday. A full listing of the status on amendments can be found here.

The Senate meets at 10 a.m. and continues work on S. 782, the Economic Development Revitalization Act. A second vote on an ethanol amendment is expected.

The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches and then at noon to resume consideration of H.R. 2112, the agriculture appropriations bill.

Members worked until almost midnight Tuesday on amendments, and are expected to continue this work starting at noon. Votes are expected to start on various proposals in the late afternoon, and final votes are expected by 5:30 p.m.

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The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches and at noon for legislative business. Final votes on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, H.R. 2055, are expected at around 2 p.m.

The House today also starts work on H.R. 2112, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Members will start by debating the rule that the House Rules Committee approved on Monday night.

The return of the House and Senate next week marks the start of a pressure-filled, two-week work period in which both political parties are hoping to make progress on a debt-ceiling deal.

The pressure is coming from all directions: the lack of significant job creation in May, a stock market that has deflated over the last six weeks, more warnings of a housing double dip, and the fear in both parties that all of these factors will only get worse without a debt-ceiling agreement.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Friday outlined a summer legislative plan that includes reducing regulations, approving pending trade deals, passing patent reform and reducing barriers to U.S. energy production.

In a memo to House Republicans, Cantor put reducing regulatory burdens at the top of his list, and listed three bills for likely action in July and early August:

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m. for speeches, and soon thereafter resumes work on S. 782, the Economic Development Revitalization Act of 2011. This bill would expand funding for the Public Works and Economic Development Administration (EDA).

On Wednesday, the Senate held its big vote on an amendment to delay limits on debit card fees, which failed in a 54-45 vote. Republicans have several other amendments to the bill, including one that would provide for a clean debt-ceiling increase, one that makes estate tax relief permanent, and even one that would completely defund the EDA.

The House will return briefly for a pro-forma session at 10:30 a.m., as it did Tuesday morning.

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m., and soon after will resume consideration of S. 782, the Economic Development Revitalization Act.

Overshadowing the bill is an amendment that would delay a rule limiting the fees banks can charge business owners in debit card transactions. The amendment, from Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), would delay the rule for one year and require a study of how the rule might affect smaller banks.