The House adjourned at 9:19 p.m. Wednesday after several hours of debate on amendments to H.R. 2354, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill for fiscal 2012.

The House considered amendments regarding the disposal of nuclear waste as well as amendments that would strip funds from regular federal spending and direct them toward deficit reduction and nuclear nonproliferation.

The House is set to return at 10 a.m. on Thursday, and votes are expected on these amendments.

The House on Wednesday evening approved controversial legislation giving states the authority to set their own clean water standards, loosening the grip that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has over states under the Clean Water Act.

The House approved the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act, H.R. 2018, by a 239-184 vote. The vote was mostly along party lines, although 16 Democrats crossed party lines to support the bill. In addition, 13 Republicans voted against it.

The House on Wednesday evening accepted just one Republican amendment by roll call vote, but rejected all other Democratic proposals aimed at limiting a bill they say would increase the risk of water pollution.

Members were considering H.R. 2018, the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act. The bill gives states more say in how they set water quality standards, a move Republicans said is needed to push back on the Environmental Protection Agency's overreach.

Schumer and Cantor continue to feud, with Schumer knocking the Republican leader from the Senate floor.

Wednesday afternoon debate revealed that a Republican bill to strengthen states' authority to set their own clean-water standards will be supported by some Democrats, in particular those from mining states.

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) agreed with Republican arguments that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has hamstrung businesses, in particular coal miners in his home state. Rahall said uncertainty over the EPA's permitting process is the chief cause.

"The result has been the creation of an atmosphere of worry, of distrust and of bitterness," Rahall said. "The agency may claim that it is only following the law, and 'assisting' the states, but the reality is that the agency is strong-arming the states."

The House on Wednesday approved a rule for a bill that would give states more flexibility to set their own clean water rules, even when they are not consistent with mandates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The House approved the rule for H.R. 2018, the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act, by a 250-171 vote. Every Republican voted for the rule, along with 12 Democrats.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday applauded Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for championing a plan to prevent a government default.

"What Leader McConnell put on the table recognizes that we must … lift the debt ceiling," Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol Wednesday. "So it has that merit, in that it says … we have to pass this."

Pelosi, however, stopped far short of endorsing the proposal, stipulating that she hasn't examined its details.

"I don't really know the particulars or the current state of play of Sen. McConnell's proposal, but I do know that he has recognized that we must lift the debt ceiling," she said.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday both praised and criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) proposal to raise the debt ceiling.

“The substantive good news here is that the plan that Mitch McConnell offered, for its faults, makes the likelihood ... of not paying our bills … less likely,” said Schumer, who then criticized the plan as having "a good deal of fault to it."

The Senate voted to open debate on the Veteran Affairs appropriations bill Wednesday in a 89-11 vote.

H.R. 2055, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs (VA) and Related Agencies appropriations bill, increases funding for the VA by 5.8 percent and cuts military construction spending by $2.6 billion to reflect anticipated base closures and realignments.