With only a few weeks left until the August recess, lawmakers in Washington are working at a feverish pace to accomplish their goals. Dismayed that their energy package didn't garner the bipartisan support and cross the 60 vote barrier required to overcome procedural hurdles, Senate Democrats pulled the legislation back from consideration late last week. In its place, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will introduce a new, more targeted bill in the coming days. It's believed by many that this bill, along with other smaller pieces of legislation in the works, will be introduced this week to not only move the Democrats' agenda forward, but also to create a wedge between voters, their opinions and the Republicans' voting record.

Last week, facing an uphill battle on the latest version of comprehensive energy reform, Reid pulled the full climate bill package from consideration. Citing a complete lack of cooperation from the Republicans, Reid claimed that he didn't have a single Republican vote on the measure.

That said, Democrats will continue to try to capitalize on the distress in the Gulf of Mexico to push energy reform. Announcing plans late last week to move a limited bill through the Senate, Reid stripped the controversial cap-and-trade measure, and instead will focus on natural gas-powered trucks, home-efficiency retrofits and a legislative response to the Gulf oil spill.

While not as comprehensive as its predecessor, the new energy bill will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows in Washington from those who continue to toe the party line when it comes to tax breaks and unaccounted spending. While the Democrats will push for the country to embrace new energy regulations, many will push back arguing that increased scrutiny on the energy sector will put a halt to economic recovery.

Tough Votes Ahead

With the fall elections rapidly approaching, Democrats from both chambers have discussed a legislative agenda for the week aimed at creating a decided contrast between the two parties. From the DISCLOSE Act to the new energy bill, many in Washington this week expect to see some distinct campaigning from within the halls of Congress as Election Day is only three months away.

With the renewed attention towards energy regulation generated by the Gulf oil spill, Washington insiders believe that any version of a paired-down energy bill will most definitely include provisions to tighten offshore rig safety and strengthen the government's ability to hold those companies in charge of the rigs responsible for damages.
This kind of provision in the energy bill would be a power-play for the Democrats, who would then look to tie any vote against the new bill with being soft on oil giant BP.

Also on the docket this week, Senate leaders may look to bring the DISCLOSE Act to a vote. The Act, introduced by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), is the legislative response to the Supreme Court's campaign finance decision in the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission case earlier this year. The high court's ruling, unpopular to many legislators, allows corporations and labor unions the ability to spend unlimited funds on political advertisements.

According to Roll Call, more than a few Democratic aides believe this is a good issue for the party. "There is a clear contrast," according to one senior Democratic aide. "Either you believe large corporate interests should control elections, or you believe the American people should control our elections."

Senate Democratic strategists believe they can bring a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill to the floor this week. The FAA bill is attractive to Reid since it is a "Message from the House" bill that essentially limits the time the Senate can debate. Additionally, House Democrats were able to insert several jobs provisions, allowing the party to claim that by passing the FAA Authorization bill they are pushing the economy in the right direction.

Many in Washington expect that any GOP opposition to the FAA bill will be in the form of a call for deficit reduction, calling on Democratic leaders to offset the cost of any jobs provisions with cuts elsewhere. Democrats, however, will continue to look to position a vote against the legislation as a vote against growth and recovery.

In the meantime, the House of Representatives is poised to push a "Make it in America" agenda. According to The Hill newspaper, the mix of bills has not yet been identified, but will be "designed to bolster the crumbling manufacturing sector through various tax incentives, trade policy tweaks and direct investments."

Whatever the case, Democrats will be eager to put the GOP in a corner this week and next, while providing chances for legislative successes before heading back to their districts over the August recess.