Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) kicked-off debate on Wednesday on a pending resolution that would express disapproval of a new FCC rule to prevent Internet service providers from picking and choosing what sort of data they will accommodate on their networks.

McConnell argued from the floor that the rule, which is set to activate on Nov. 20, represents an “overreach” of the federal government in an attempt to “fix the Internet, when the Internet is not broken.”

“While we all understand the importance of an open Internet, I think we can also agree that the growth of the Internet in the last 15 years is an American success story that occurred absent any heavy-handed regulation by the federal regulators in Washington,” said McConnell. “[W]e should think long and hard before we allow unelected bureaucrats to tinker with it now.”

Senate Democrats this week will offer an amendment to a bill repealing the 3 percent withholding rule that adds a new section requiring the federal government to take several steps aimed at helping returning veterans to transition to civilian employment, and also adds a tax credit for companies that hire veterans.

The amendment, offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), adds a new "Vow to Hire Heroes" section to the bill, which broadly boosts retraining assistance for veterans. It also requires a study on how veterans with certain skills learned in the armed forces can find related jobs in the private sector.

Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday thanked Democrats for “finally agreeing” to join Republicans in working to create jobs. 

McConnell, of course, was referring to a pending bill to repeal the 3 percent withholding rule and an amendment to create tax incentives for businesses to hire veterans. Both pieces of legislation have long enjoyed the support of both parties and the president and are expected to easily clear the Senate this week. 

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m., and after morning speeches will begin debate on S.J.Res. 6, a resolution disapproving of the Federal Communications Commission's rule on regulating the Internet.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday night that a vote on a motion to proceed to this resolution would take place Thursday, and if the vote succeeds, any further consideration would take place next week.

The Senate is also expected to turn its attention to H.R. 674, the bill repealing the 3 percent withholding rule.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday night set up Thursday votes on two resolutions disapproving of controversial regulations from the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The FCC resolution is S.J.Res. 6, which disapproves of the FCC rule on Internet neutrality, which the FCC says would block Internet service providers from restricting access to networks, but which Republicans say is too intrusive.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said Tuesday evening that she would vote against a resolution from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that would overturn an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule aimed at ensuring upwind states don't pollute the air of downwind states.

"I appreciate my friend, the senator from Kentucky, for bringing his concerns forward through this resolution. However, this is an issue that I have been extensively involved in as … New Hampshire's attorney general, and I believe this resolution is misguided."

Republicans plan legislation next week to make it easier for people to carry a concealed weapon from state to state.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) said on Tuesday that word from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons is a sign Congress needs to move quickly to tighten sanctions against Iran.

"Recently, Iran's [President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad admitted publicly that those sanctions that are being applied are bringing strong pressure against the regime," Ros-Lehtinen said. "Congress can ratchet up that pressure by passing two new bills targeting Iran which were recently unanimously adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee."

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) on Tuesday said the Obama administration's five-year offshore oil-and-gas leasing plan would starve the U.S. of needed energy and force the country to import more oil, and formally asked the Interior Department to reconsider its plan.

"Based on this plan, Americans should conclude that the Interior Department believes that the United States' overall energy needs will be reduced over the next 5 years," Vitter wrote to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. "By reducing the amount of energy production available, your 5-year plan seems to contradict the president's 'Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future,' which was intended to reduce oil imports by a third by 2025."