Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said on Wednesday she would not support the Democrats' spending proposal for 2011.

The House on Wednesday approved two rules that will allow members to take up legislation later this week that would end two federal home mortgage programs.

By a voice vote, the House approved a rule for H.R. 836, which would rescind the emergency mortgage relief program created in last year's Wall Street Reform legislation.

And in a 240-180 roll-call vote, the House approved a rule for H.R. 830, which would end the Federal Housing Administration's mortgage refinancing program. Nine Democrats voted with every Republican in favor of this rule: Reps. Dan Boren (Okla.), John Carney (Del.), Ben Chandler (Ky.), Jim Cooper (Tenn.), Martin Heinrich (NM), Jim Matheson (Utah), Mike Ross (Ark.), Kurt Schrader (Ore.), and Heath Shuler (NC).

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) said the the spending proposal from Democrats to fund the government for the rest of the year "virtually ignores" the deficit.

Ensign said he would reluctantly support the competing proposal from House Republicans to cut $57 billion in government spending through the end of the fiscal year.

Senators took turns early Wednesday afternoon exchanging barbs on the floor over the rival budget proposals, which will see cloture votes on the floor later in the day.

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) on Wednesday rejected Democratic criticism that Republicans have yet to propose a jobs bill, and said reducing government spending and getting government out of the way of companies is the Republican jobs plan.

"The Republican majority does have a jobs bill, and that is to go and rescind what Democrats have outrageously done, and that is to put this country in a diminished position," Sessions said in debate over legislation to scale back federal mortgage relief programs.

"No, we're not going to go and do a 'jobs bill' to add jobs," he said, adding that Republicans would instead move to save jobs "that are being lost today and would be lost by wasteful government spending, huge government bureaucracies."

Addressing a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard endorsed stimulus projects around the world, saying they had averted further economic disaster.

"While there has been real pain, the global response averted true economic disaster,” said Gillard. “Economic stimulus has been crucial to limit the worst effects of the downturn, and economic reform is crucial now to deliver the best hopes for a strong recovery.”

President Obama's stimulus package, which poured more than $800 billion into the U.S. economy beginning in 2009, has become a favorite punching bag for Republicans, who note the unemployment remains high. This year the administration has sought to provide further stimulus in the form of government spending and tax cuts.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard warned a joint session of Congress on Wednesday that countries must withdraw from Afghanistan cautiously, or they might find themselves having to return at some future date.

"We know transition will take some years," she said. "We must not transition out only to transition back in. We must not."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) once again attacked Republicans’ budget proposal on Wednesday, claiming its cuts target “little children” and “poor little boys and girls.”  

He added that the spending bill, which will face a vote in the Senate later on Wednesday afternoon, is “insulting” to the American people.

“H.R. 1 is a mean-spirited bill that would cut the heart out of the recovery that we have in America today,” said Reid. “It goes after little children, poor little boys and girls ... we want them to learn to read.”

Republicans in Tuesday's Rules Committee hearing said two more bills that would terminate federal mortgage programs are expected to be considered on the House floor next week.

Based on their description in the hearing, the two bills are those being marked up on Wednesday in the House Financial Services Committee. The first is H.R. 839, the HAMP Termination Act. That bill would terminate the authority of Treasury to provide assistance under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

The second is H.R. 861, the NSP Termination Act, which would rescind $1 billion in funding for a third round of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

Those bills join two others that the House will consider beginning Wednesday afternoon: H.R. 830, which would end the FHA's mortgage refinance program, and H.R. 836, which ends the Dodd-Frank emergency mortgage relief program. The White House has said it would veto both of these bills, but has not yet issued a statement on the bills expected next week.

The House Tuesday night approved two non-controversial health bills under a suspension of House rules.

By a 401-12 vote, the House approved H.R. 570, which would make dental health a component of the national health security strategy. All 12 "no" votes came from Republicans.

By a 280-138 vote, the House also approved H.R. 525, which aims to increase the number of people in veterinary health services. While this measure passed relatively easily, more than 130 Republicans voted against it, and less than 100 Republicans supported it.

With these votes, the House finished its legislative business on Tuesday, and will return Wednesday to take up two bills that would terminate federal mortgage assistance programs. The House is expected to take up the rules to these two bills in the afternoon, as it will meet in a joint session with the Senate at 11 a.m. Wednesday to receive Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.