The Senate will take up a measure to authorize military force in Libya for up to one year.

Led by Reps. Clyburn and Larson, many House Democrats are backing a White House proposal to extend a payroll-tax cut.

Both the House and Senate return next week, after the Senate originally planned a week-long July 4 recess but decided to stay to work on a debt ceiling agreement.

But while 99 percent of life may be just "showing up," it's not clear that the Senate's presence in Washington by itself will move the debt talks along in any significant way. Senate Republicans argued this week that regardless of where Senate Democrats are, they have not yet accepted that significant pending cuts need to be part of the debt agreement.

President Obama’s healthcare plan is stripping Americans of their liberty, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said Thursday at a meeting in Iowa.

“Are you more free today, do you have more liberty today than you had two and a half years ago?" King asked a group of about 30 people gathered at coffee shop, according to The Globe Gazette. "I don’t know anyone who can say yes to that."

The House has planned a few key hearings during next week's abbreviated schedule, including one that will explore what Republicans say is an anti-business proposal from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing July 7 titled "Rushing Union Elections: Protecting the Interests of Big Labor at the Expense of Workers' Free Choice." That hearing will examine NLRB's proposal to change union election rules.

The entire Massachusetts House delegation on Thursday called on President Obama to protect Medicare and Medicaid from what they said would be "devastating" Republican budget cuts.

"Republican efforts to slash Medicare and Medicaid while leaving untouched tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, unnecessary subsidies for oil companies, and a bloated defense budget is unjust and irresponsible," the letter said. "Accordingly, we respectfully request that you reject any such proposals if they are presented as part of the ongoing discussions."

The Senate completed a 25-second pro forma session just after 11 a.m. on Friday.

Most senators have left for the Independence Day recess but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) ordered the unusual pro forma session in order to keep the clock running.

Reid wants to hold a vote on a resolution to authorize President Obama's action in Libya, and he needs to accrue some hours. 

"The Tea Party doesn’t like politicians," Sen. DeMint said. "These are people who are independent."

The Democratic leader of the Senate has introduced a measure asking the wealthy to make a large contribution to deficit reduction.