Before lawmakers left town last week to campaign for the November elections, they passed a short-term funding bill to keep government agencies running until December 3. They failed to deal with the Bush-era tax cuts that are set to expire on December 31.

This leaves the possibility of votes on the tax cuts during the upcoming lame-duck session in November. Members who have retired or been voted out of office will return with their colleagues to cast votes before the next session begins in January. Depending on the outcome in November, a simple vote during to extend the tax cuts for one year is likely.

Anything that members hope to accomplish during the lame-duck session will depend on the outcome of the November elections, in particular three special elections in the Senate. These winners will be seated immediately, which could have an impact on the current majority.

In the 2006 lame-duck session, according to Roll Call, "appropriations decisions were punted to 2007, when the new Democratic majority could more easily determine spending limits."

Other items scheduled for debate during the lame-duck session are food safety and energy policy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, filed cloture on the food safety bill last week, getting the bill ready for when Congress returns in November.

Bipartisan Energy Bill

On the energy front, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced a bipartisan renewable energy bill with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). Both are hoping that the measure, which would require utilities to generate 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources, will be voted on in November.

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is pushing an immigration bill that he recently introduced and contains several Republican ideas in an effort to garner bipartisan support.. "A lot of senators are retiring and might be willing to look at the issue. We need something to jump off from if we're going to go into it in the early part of the next Congress," Menendez said on CNN's "State of the Union."