Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), on Thursday made a procedural move to limit debate on a bill that would fund the Public Works and Economic Development Administration (EDA), and expressed his frustration at delays the legislation has endured.

“Our staffs have been working diligently for days now to find a path that would allow the Senate to complete action on this jobs bill,” Reid said. “We find ourselves struggling just to bring it up for a vote.”

Members from both parties have loaded the legislation down with about 70 amendments related to a diverse array of issues, including immigration reform, E-Verify, the estate tax, right-to-work laws, gainful employment regulation, endangered species and light bulbs.

The House adjourned for the week at 3:37 p.m. Thursday, after House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) outlined a schedule for next week that includes patent reform, energy and the start of work on the Defense Department Appropriations bill.

The patent bill is H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act. While the Senate has already passed a similar version of this bill, it is somewhat controversial, for several different reasons. Several of these issues were pointed out in a "Dear Colleague" letter being circulated to build opposition to the bill.

GOP leaders have criticized the Obama administration for providing inadequate answers about the U.S. intervention.

The vote could be seen as a violation of the anti-tax pledge many Republicans have signed.

The House on Thursday afternoon approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act by a 217-203 vote.

The final vote came after more than two full days of debate and voting on amendments, many of which would have cut agriculture spending even more than the $2.7 billion in discretionary cuts already offered in the bill. However, House member rejected these steeper cuts nearly every time.

While calling the president's messaging "confusing" and "puzzling," McCain said the military effort in Libya was close to victory.

The House on Thursday rejected a slate of amendments that would have further reduced agriculture spending beyond the $2.7 billion in discretionary spending cuts already in the bill.

Members soundly rejected a proposal to cut discretionary spending by formula. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) proposed language that would cut these programs by five percent, but this lost in a 109-310 vote.

Majority Leader Reid called for the Senate to revisit legislation to end $21 billion worth of oil subsides

Thursday's home-stretch debate in the House on the Agriculture appropriations bill continued to reveal a split within the Republican party between those who are looking for more dramatic spending cuts and those from farm states who have an interest in protecting farm programs from further reductions.

In early morning debate, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) proposed the elimination of countercyclical payments for U.S. cotton producers. Flake said the language is needed in order to help save another $147 million that the U.S. pays to Brazil to settle a trade dispute about U.S. cotton subsidies.