Tuesday's House debate on a bill that would eliminate automatic funding for a healthcare program quickly escalated past the bill's $220 million in savings over the next decade, and prompted both parties to revisit last year's healthcare debate and passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) said the bill is a small step toward letting Congress reclaim its jurisdiction over federal spending. The program in question is automatically funded in PPACA — Republicans are trying to make it a discretionary program that has to be authorized every year.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) gently mocked Senate Democrats on Tuesday for so far failing to produce a fiscal year 2012 spending plan. 

 “They [Democrats] say they prefer the ideas the President outlined in a speech he gave last month,” McConnell said.  

“Well, unfortunately we can't vote on a speech ... but if that's what it takes to get Democrats engaged in this debate, maybe we should revisit the rules so we can actually vote on a speech,” said McConnell.

McConnell was referring to a address Obama made last month in which he laid out his vision for reducing the budget deficit by $4 trillion over the next 12 years.

The House Tuesday afternoon approved a rule allowing consideration of three bills, all of which are expected to be taken up this week. The rule was approved in a 238-181 vote; only six Democrats supported it, and one Republican opposed it.

The rule covers H.R. 1216, which would reduce federal funding for graduate-level medical education that was provided for in last year's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The House immediately moved to debate on this bill and is expected to approve it later Tuesday.

The rule also covers the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which the House is expected to take up Tuesday and Wednesday. And it allows the House to immediately take up an extension of Patriot Act surveillance authorities, which the Senate will vote on first this week.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) charged on Tuesday that President Obama is in violation of both the Constitution, by sending troops to Libya without consulting Congress, and the War Powers Act, by failing to obtain congressional authorization now that 60 days have elapsed since troops were first sent.

"The war is unconstitutional," he said on the House floor. "The president did not come to this Congress, he went to the U.N. Security Council."

"Last week, the President did not observe the tolling of the War Powers Act, so he's in violation of the statute," he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said peace will be possible only when the Palestinian Authority accepts a Jewish state.

With little debate, the House on Tuesday approved an amended version of S. 990, which would extend the authorization of small business program through the end of FY 2011. The bill keeps in place programs such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, which would otherwise expire at the end of May.

The bill was approved by voice vote, and no recorded vote was requested.

With the amendment, the bill is not identical to the Senate-passed bill, which would extend these programs until May 31, 2012.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said lawmakers should reassure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his nation is "not alone" and that it still has a strong friendship with the Congress. 

McConnell's remarks come after Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected President Obama's call for new Middle East peace talks that would base the borders of a Palestinian state on those existing in 1967.

House Republicans as early as next week will vote on a bill allowing a $2.4 trillion increase in the U.S. debt limit without any requirements to cut spending, a bill Republicans say will demonstrate that a "clean" debt-limit increase cannot pass the House.

"The legislation I filed today will allow the House to reject a clean increase in the debt limit, proving to the American people, the financial markets and the administration that we are serious about tackling our debt and deficit problems," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) said Tuesday.

Lawmakers in both parties have offered support for the Israeli prime minister's position on peace talks.