The GOP resolution says the debt limit was established by Congress in 1982 and tries to end 14th Amendment option.

The House returns at 9 a.m. Friday to finish work on the 2012 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 2219. Members have debated amendments to this bill for the last two nights, but are expected today to complete that work and vote on final passage.

The House on Thursday rejected most controversial amendments to defund Afghanistan and Libya operations, and on Friday is expected to reject a handful of amendments before approving the bill.

The House adjourned at about 9 p.m. Thursday, after approving a few amendments to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act and holding some for roll-call votes on Friday.

Among other things, members voted to deny funding to African countries that support military training involving child soldiers, to prohibit funding for ground troops in Libya and to block funding for a new flight suit design. Those with more energy can review all the amendment votes so far here, but many of the major anticipated amendments on Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan were debated and voted on earlier.

The House returns at 9 a.m. Friday for legislative work. A final vote on the DOD spending bill is expected before the House adjourns Friday.

Members of the House Thursday evening overwhelmingly approved a resolution that calls for a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). The resolution is meant to make the PA think twice about trying to unilaterally declare statehood at the United Nations, given its close association with Hamas, a group on the U.S. terrorist list that openly calls for the destruction of Israel.

The House voted 407-6 in favor of the resolution, H.Res. 268. Only three Republicans and three Democrats voted against it; 13 members voted "present."

The House on Thursday evening rejected two amendments to the 2012 Department of Defense Appropriations Act that would have cut several billion dollars in spending from a bill that would increase spending by $17 billion.

In a 135-290 vote, members rejected an amendment from Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) that would have frozen military spending at FY 2011 levels, which would amount to a $17.2 billion cut from the bill, H.R. 2219.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) responded to Democrats' call for higher taxes on luxury yachts on Thursday by accusing them of class warfare.

"Today the press ridiculed Republicans for 'defending the yachting class,' said Hatch. "Well, there is no yachting class in this country unless you count the Democratic Party of Martha’s Vineyard."

"There is, however, a class of people who build yachts," he added. 

The House late Thursday afternoon was continuing to take up amendments to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY 2012 and had accepted some of these in voice votes.

GOP leaders told their rank-and-file the House is likely to be in session through the scheduled July district work week.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Thursday that if Congress fails to lift the debt ceiling before the Aug. 2 deadline and the country defaults on its financial obligations, Republicans will be to blame. 

"I want to say to my Republican colleagues, because so many of you have trifled with the idea of not paying off debts, if, God forbid, it happens — and I hope it doesn't ... but if it does, you will bear the blame."

"Not a single Democrat that I'm aware of has said 'we want to default,'" Schumer said. "Many, many Republicans have said they want to default."

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio.) followed Schumer's remarks and denied that any Republicans are wishing for default. 

"There is no Republican interested in defaulting on the debt," Portman said. "No on wants to default on the debt."