Scheduling

The House left town Friday for a weeklong recess, shortly after House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) abandoned Vice President Biden's debt ceiling talks.

While those talks have long been perceived as a battle between the White House and House Republicans, the White House next week will turn to the Senate for advice. President Obama and Biden meet with the top Senate Democrat and Republican on Monday in the hopes of setting a constructive tone for the House's return after July 4.

The Senate is out, but the House meets Friday at 9 a.m. for legislative work, and the big-ticket items are the two Libya bills.

One, H.J.Res. 68, would authorize limited use of force in Libya, and would not authorize ground troops. This resolution is not expected to pass.

The second, H.R. 2278, will likely carry the day. It would prohibit the Defense Department from spending any money to support the ongoing military operations in Libya.

The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches and then at noon to continue legislative work, which includes work on H.R. 1246, the America Invents Act.

Members on Thursday debated one of 15 amendments to the bill, which would substantially reform U.S. patent law. The remaining 14 are expected to be debated and voted on today.

The House returns earlier than normal for a Wednesday — at 9:30 a.m. for speeches and 11:30 a.m. for legislative work.

Members will begin the process of taking up H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act, and H.R. 2021, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act. Members will start with a debate on a single rule for both bills. A vote on the rule is expected around 1 p.m.

The House has been in and out all day for brief periods of time, and at about 6 p.m. finished debate on four controversial bills that would name post offices in Texas, Ohio and Mississippi.

After voting on these bills at 6:30 p.m., the House will start a debate on H.R. 672, the Election Support Consolidation and Efficiency Act. The bill would repeal the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), something Democrats oppose.

The Senate meets at 10 a.m. for speeches, then at 11 a.m. considers the nomination of Michael Simon to be a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. A vote on Simon is expected at noon.

After returning from caucus lunches, the Senate at 2:15 p.m. will consider the nomination of Leon Panetta to be secretary of Defense. A vote on Panetta is expected at about 4:15 p.m.

The House returns at 10 a.m. for a pro forma session that should last just a few minutes and give members a chance to file new legislation.

The Senate returns at 2 p.m. for speeches; no votes are expected. Senators have until 3:30 p.m. to file amendments to S. 782, the Economic Development Revitalization Act of 2011.

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.