The House on Thursday approved the rule for a bill authorizing intelligence spending for the rest of FY 2011.

The rule was approved in a 251-133 vote. All Republicans present and 21 Democrats voted for the rule.

During debate, several Democrats said they would oppose the rule for debating the bill because it does not allow for consideration of many Democratic amendments. But several, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), said they would vote for the bill itself because it was written with input from both parties.

The House on Thursday approved H.R. 1231, a bill that sets oil-and-gas production goals for the U.S. and requires increased offshore drilling in the most productive regions as a way of getting there.

The bill was approved in a 243-179 vote with 21 Democrats joining all but nine Republicans in support of the bill.

The leaders of the Senate Ethics Committee will address the committee’s ongoing investigation of former Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) at 2:30 p.m. Thursday on the Senate floor.

Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and ranking member Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) are both scheduled to speak.

House Republicans and Democrats were in the rare position of complimenting one another Thursday over the bipartisan work done on an intelligence authorization bill for the rest of FY 2011.

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) was full of praise for House Intelligence Committee ranking member Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) for working in a bipartisan way on the bill. She said he did a "magnificent job" in keeping a bipartisan spirit while working on the bill, H.R. 754.

"I have been just so delighted," Bachmann said. "I have never served on a committee where I have seen greater bipartisanship, because we've put down our partisan swords when it comes to the safety and security of our nation."

Del. Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) on Thursday took offense to the CIA's decision to give the mission to find and kill Osama bin Laden the code name "Geronimo."

Speaking on the House floor, Faleomavaega said this name might incorrectly imply that Geronimo was a terrorist and "a murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children" like bin Laden.

"On the contrary, Geronimo was one of the greatest American Indian warriors who fought against some of the most vicious, cruelest and inhumane treatment and policies instituted by our federal government against this poor nation," he said. "The president and CIA Director Panetta owe him an apology."

Waterboarding did not lead to the discovery and killing of Osama bin Laden, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Thursday in an emotional floor speech. 

McCain, who endured years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, said tough interrogation techniques such as waterboarding did not provide the details that led U.S. forces to bin Laden. 

“It was not torture, or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees that got us the major leads that ultimately enabled our intelligence community to find Osama bin Laden,” McCain said in a 20-minute speech.

Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) on Thursday warned that House members could soon call for the "removal" of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) if it continues to pursue its lawsuit against Boeing for its 2009 decision to open a new factory in South Carolina. The NLRB believes Boeing wants to open a factory to produce the Dreamliner aircraft in South Carolina as a way to retaliate against striking workers in Washington.

"If the NLRB doesn't change the course quickly, I know there will be many in this body, including myself, who will call for the panel's removal altogether," Duncan said on the House floor.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) accused Republicans Thursday of “protecting their friends in Big Oil” by employing “misinformation and scare tactics.”

Republicans have claimed that a Democratic proposal to cut the tax breaks received by the top five oil producing companies would raise gas prices.  

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republicans will call for urgent action when they meet with President Obama on Thursday afternoon.