Business groups have criticized the labor board rule, which calls for quick union elections.

President Obama has allowed environmental extremists to take over White House policy, according to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) took a whack at Senate Democrats on Thursday while celebrating the anticipated passage of two minor bipartisan “jobs” bills. 

“Later today ... we’ll pass this jobs bill on a bipartisan basis then we’ll send it back to the House, where we hope it will pass shortly,” said McConnell. “In other words, we’re going to legislate.”

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m., and at 10 a.m. will start debating S.J.Res. 27, a resolution from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that disapproves of the EPA's cross-border air pollution rule.

After two hours of debate, the Senate will hold two votes at noon — one on Paul's resolution, and one on S.J.Res. 6, which disapproves of the FCC's rule on regulating the Internet. The FCC resolution, offered by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), was debated Wednesday.

The Senate adourned just after 7 p.m. on Wednesday night after a wide ranging debate on a number of issues that will see votes on Thursday afternoon. Prior to adjournment, however, the Senate cleared by unanimous consent a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Monford Point Marines and another to accomodate the printing of a revised edition of the Senate rules and manual. The Senate will return at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and begin votes at around noon. 

The Senate Wednesday afternoon meandered through a lengthy session of mostly unremarkable debate on the myriad of issues that will see votes on Thursday afternoon.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) on Tuesday introduced a Social Security reform proposal that would slowly raise the retirement age, reduce benefits for high-income earners, and make other changes that Chaffetz said are needed to help keep Social Security solvent for the next 75 years.

While the plan may prove to be controversial, the Social Security Administration (SSA) acknowledged to Chaffetz that the plan would help keep Social Security solvent.

"We estimate that enactment of the basic provisions in this proposal would maintain solvency of the OASDI [Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance] program throughout the long-range (75-year) projection period and would fulfill the requirements for sustainable solvency," SSA said in a Nov. 9 letter to Chaffetz.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) on Wednesday afternoon bashed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for new regulations it is trying to implement this month that would dictate what sort of speeds and data Internet service providers must carry on their networks.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Wednesday blamed the Obama administration of presiding over an "unprecedented" growth in government overregulation.

“When it comes to regulation, this administration has gone further," said Murkowski. "They have pushed past that rule of law in striking that proper balance. What we’re seeing is a level of overreach, that I think is unprecedented, by the agencies reaching out extending their jurisdiction, if you will, and working to advance and setting policies.”