House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Friday rejected the assertion from Democrats that the vast majority of Americans support higher taxes as a way out of the government's looming fiscal crisis.

President Obama made that assertion in a Friday press conference, and it was repeated by House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in a discussion with Cantor on the House floor. Hoyer cited a poll that said 74 percent of Republicans can accept a debt-ceiling agreement that includes new tax revenues.

"To the gentleman's suggestion that that's where the American public is, I just disagree," Cantor said in reply. "I don't talk to anybody that says, 'please raise my taxes.'"

Senate committees next week will hold a series of high-profile hearings to examine a range of issues, including the impact of the storms that tore across the Midwest in the spring to the Defense of Marriage Act.

Committees will also hold hearings on further exploiting domestic energy resources as well as facilitating appropriate oil and gas development on federal land and waters.

The House on Friday narrowly approved a 2012 appropriations bill funding the Department of Energy and related agencies.

Members approved the bill, H.R. 2354, by a 219-196 vote. All but 21 Republicans voted for the bill, along with just 10 Democrats.

The House on Friday voted down several proposals to significantly cut spending to the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, including one amendment to cut another $1.5 billion from the bill.

The bill, H.R. 2354, already cuts about $1 billion from fiscal 2011 levels, and proposals to go beyond that were met with resistance from both Democrats and Republicans.

Freshman Republican Allen West (Fla.) described Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell's (Ky.) plan to raise the debt ceiling a "dog that don't hunt."

“That dog don’t hunt,” West said when asked about the proposal, according to Bloomberg News. "Seems like an acquiescence to me.”

McConnell’s proposal, which would give President Obama the power to raise the debt ceiling, has drawn fire from both sides of the aisle. 

“It seems to be a political document,” said Sen. Charles Schumer, (N.Y.), the Senate Democrats’ Policy Committee chairman, on Thursday. 

The House on Friday morning quickly approved language that would prohibit the use of funds in a 2012 spending bill from being used to implement federal light bulb standards.

The House on Thursday night took up an amendment from Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) to defund those standards. After what seemed like House acceptance of the amendment by voice vote, Burgess asked for a recorded vote.

Several senators on Thursday introduced legislation that would establish a five-year program offering federal grants to states that seek to improve environmental education.

The No Child Left Inside Act, S. 1372, does not specify how much money would be spent, and instead would authorize "such sums as may be necessary" to implement the program.

"Teaching children about the environment and giving them a hands-on opportunity to experience nature makes them smarter and healthier," said Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), one of the lead sponsors of the bill. "Environmental education should be an important part of the curriculum in our schools."

The House meets at 10 a.m. for legislative work, and is expected to finish the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act.

Members face several votes today to more significantly cut the $30.6 billion bill funding the Department of Energy and other agencies. But based on prior votes, the House is expected to essentially maintain current funding in the bill, which is $1 billion lower than fiscal 2011 levels.

The House on Friday will face several chances to cut millions in spending under the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, although all indications point to the likelihood that members will vote against these measures.

The House has debated the spending bill, H.R. 2354, for much of the week, and has considered several amendments already that would cut spending more severely than the $1 billion in cuts presented in the bill. The House finished work on amendments at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and adjourned shortly thereafter.