The House held a short series of votes on amendments to the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act on Wednesday afternoon, in which two Republican amendments were accepted and four Democrat-sponsored amendments failed.

After these votes, the House was expected to continue consideration of amendments to the spending bill, H.R. 2584.

The House on Wednesday afternoon approved an amendment to the 2012 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that will allow new animals to be classified as endangered.

The spending bill as proposed by Republicans would only have allowed species to be delisted, but would not have allowed new species to be added. Republicans justified the language by saying giving the government funds to fully operate the Endangered Species Act (ESA) would only lead to lawsuits from groups to have species listed, which in turn can chew up the entire budget.

But Republicans were somewhat split on the issue. The amendment to allow new species listings, from Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), was approved in a 224-202 vote in which 37 Republicans voted for it — allowing it to pass — while 200 Republicans voted against it.

Democrats were far less split; only two Democrats voted against the Dicks amendment.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) on Wednesday said the proposals offered by Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) are both probably too weak to avert a downgrade of the U.S. credit rating. 

“Senator Reid has offered a proposal, the House has offered a proposal and neither one of them are strong enough,” said Corker, who is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

Sen. McCain said it is “foolish” for Republican colleagues to claim a balanced-budget amendment could pass this week.

Tea Party favorite Mike Pence (R-Ind.) on Wednesday called on his House colleagues to consider the budget plan put forward by Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), which has drawn criticism from some Republicans as a plan that does not cut spending nearly enough.

"I'm still studying Speaker Boehner's proposal, but there is much that recommends it," Pence said on the House floor.

"Part of it, I have to say, was gender bias," Frank said about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau adviser.

The Senate unanimously confirmed Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the next U.S. ambassador to China on Wednesday morning.

Locke is replacing Jon Huntsman, who resigned his post in April to run for the GOP nomination for the presidency in 2012.

"Our relationship with China is one of the most critical of the 21st century," said President Obama when he nominated Locke in March.

"As the grandson of a Chinese immigrant who went on to live the American dream, Gary is the right person to continue this cooperation," said Obama. 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) attacked Speaker of the House John Boehner's (R-Ohio) deficit-reduction plan from the Senate floor on Wednesday, calling the proposal "unbelievable."

"What a way to proceed," exclaimed Reid, regarding Boehner's plan. "Its just unbelievable they would even come up with such a program."

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) on Tuesday night said Democrats in both the House and Senate are to blame for the partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

That shutdown has been in effect since Saturday, after the Senate failed to pass a House bill extending airport and airway taxes that help fund the FAA. That bill included language that would have cut federal funds to three rural airports that get a per-ticket subsidy of more than $1,500.

On Tuesday night, Mica said the Senate's failure to approve that bill is that chamber's fault, and blamed Democrats for shutting down the FAA over the three small airports.