Language in the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act that moves $1 billion from a high-speed rail fund to an account for river and coastal flooding repairs prompted a nearly two-hour East Coast vs. Midwest feud in the House on Thursday.

When the House resumed consideration of the bill at 12:30 p.m., several Democrats from the Northeast Corridor took to the floor to protest the transfer of funds. They argued that taking away the high-speed rail funding would stunt job creation in areas the need improved rail service, and deny jobs to transportation industry workers.

Ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) on Thursday attempted to halt further proceedings on the Veteran Affairs (VA) appropriations bill arguing that budgetary rules prohibit the Senate from taking up appropriations work without first passing a budget.

In response, Democratic Senate leadership scheduled two procedural votes for Thursday afternoon that are designed to overcome Session's objection.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) is urging colleagues to waive the procedural point of order against a Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill.

The bill itself is the least controversial of the 2012 spending bills and is almost identical to one that has already passed the House.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has raised a procedural point of order against proceeding to the bill and the Senate later today will vote on a cloture motion to proceed to the point of order vote. The point of order can be raised because no budget resolution has passed the Senate.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) has written a budget raising $2 trillion in revenue but has not moved it through committee.

“The pressing needs of America’s veterans and military families must not fall victim to partisan gridlock over the budget,” Inouye said in a statement.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) on Thursday said the Senate is frozen and unable to pass a budget because most of his colleagues are nothing more than “two-bit pawns” already looking ahead to the 2012 elections.

“Basically most senators in this body are nothing but two-bit pawns … as a political fight is under way, basically, to lay out the groundwork, if you will, for a 2012 election,” said Corker from the floor.

Support among Republicans for a balanced-budget amendment has grown, though it would face a tough climb in the Senate.

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) said early Thursday that government spending cuts will disproportionately hurt African-Americans. 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Thursday that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) acted "childish" in the debt talks.

He is the the latest Democratic leader to accuse Cantor of impeding progress on negotiations to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. 

“House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has shown he shouldn't be at the table, and Republicans agree he shouldn't be at the table,” Reid said from the Senate floor. 

“We had negotiations going here in a room, S-219, a short jog from here, and he has walked out on the meetings with the vice president of the United States,” said the majority leader, recounting Cantor’s recent exit from the talks hosted by Vice President Biden. “It was childish.”

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) on Wednesday introduced legislation that would give the Treasury Department limited authority to issue enough securities to pay Social Security benefits in August if the debt limit is reached.

Nelson's bill, the Social Security Benefit Protection Act, is a reaction to comments from President Obama that he "cannot guarantee" that Social Security payments would be made on time if a debt-ceiling agreement is not reached by Aug. 3.

The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches and noon for legislative work, which consists of continuing work on H.R. 2354, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act.

Members of the House debated 14 amendments to the bill Wednesday night, some of which will be voted on today. By voice vote, the House approved amendments that would transfer $2.2 million in fossil energy R&D to state oil and gas commissions (Rehberg), cut $2.5 million from Department of Energy administration funding (Broun) and move $35 million from administration funding to a Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account (Fortenberry).