Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced on Thursday night that the Senate would take up a legislative vehicle, H.R. 2112, to carry Agriculture, Commerce, Justice and Science, and Transportation appropriations bills on Monday afternoon.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Thursday evening argued that an abortion bill that is expected to pass tonight violates several Republican principles, including the protection of life and the absence of government intrusion.

Hoyer and other Democrats argued for much of Thursday that the bill, H.R. 358, would go well beyond a prohibition on the use of federal funds for abortion, and give hospitals the choice not to provide services to women in need of care, such as abortions that might be needed in emergency situations. Hoyer said that language seems to go against the title of the bill, the Protect Life Act.

"I don't think that's protecting life," Hoyer said. "In fact I think it's ignoring the protection of life."

President Lee Myung-bak said the free-trade agreement "will allow us to widely share the benefits of trade, more than ever."

The Senate approved Sung Y. Kim of California to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea on Thursday, just minutes before South Korean President Lee Myung-bak planned to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) made a unanimous consent request that the new ambassador be confirmed, which was quickly approved without objection.

Kerry also asked that in the near future, the Senate take up the nomination of Heather Higginbottom to be the deputy director for the Office of Management and Budget. Kerry said there would be four hours of debate on this nomination.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) on Thursday suggested Iran may be planning a “Kristallnacht in Farsi” against members of the Baha’i faith that reside in the country.

Kirk said Iran had recently cut off Baha’is from receiving public contracts, banned their children from universities and that the Interior Department had registered the addresses of all members of the religious minority.

“I would suggest we have seen his movie before in a different decade wearing different uniforms," said Kirk. “This is the bureaucracy necessary to carry out a Kristallnacht in Farsi."

Following a low intensity floor-scuffle, the Senate confirmed Obama nominee Alison J. Nathan, 48-44, to serve as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

Several Republicans, including the former-ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), opposed the confirmation because they said she possessed only 11 years of experience and that she had indicated in writings she would not adhere strictly to the Constitution.

The House adjourned at about 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m., when it will hear an address from South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Just before leaving, members quickly rejected an amendment to H.R. 2250, which would delay pending EPA rules on boiler emissions. That amendment, from Rep. Steven Cohen (D-Tenn.), would have allowed the EPA to add illness-related work absences as a factor as the EPA decides when to finally impose the boiler rules.

However, it was rejected 174-250.

The 248-173 vote moves a bill that would ensure funds from the healthcare reform law won't fund abortions.

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-lll.) counted the guilty plea of Faruk Abdulmutallab, or the so called “underwear bomber,” as a victory for Democrats who have argued that domestic terrorism cases ought be handled by the civilian system rather than in military tribunals.

“My Republican colleagues… have argued that terrorism suspects should never be interrogated by the FBI and should not be prosecuted in criminal courts, but instead should only be held in military detention and prosecuted in military commissions,” said Durbin from the Senate floor on Thursday.