After weeks of refusing to allow a vote in the House of Representatives on drilling for new domestic sources of oil, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) indicated today that she may indeed finally allow a vote on the measure. Republicans have been holed up in the House chamber, conducting a protest session of the House and calling on Pelosi to call the House back into session to vote on drilling. Some Democrats have also been signaling that they would like an opportunity to vote on drilling as well. Faced with growing pressure from the right and the center on an issue supported by more than 70% of Americans in some polls, Pelosi had no choice but to give in to Republican-led demands for a vote.

"They have this thing that says drill offshore in the protected areas. We can do that. We can have a vote on that.

But it has to be part of something that says we want to bring immediate relief to the public and is not just a hoax on them."

Last week, Pelosi told ABC News that Republicans would have to, "use their imagination," in order to figure out a way to get a vote. Republicans did just that, continuing the ad hoc floor protest for more than a week after the House officially recessed for the month of August. Now it appears that their creativity, and the good press they have been receiving for their efforts are about to pay off.

The White House announced today that the president will not exercise his Article II Section 3 power to reconvene the House for a special session to debate oil drilling. Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) and several of his GOP House colleagues sent a letter to the president last week asking him to call the House back if it adjourned without a vote on offshore oil production. Republican House members have been holding protest sessions on the House floor since majority Democrats recessed for the five-week August break last Friday.

In declining to call a special session, the White House stressed that the president could not compel House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to hold a vote on drilling, it could only force her to gavel open one session. "We don't have plans to call Congress into session -- it won't make a difference if Democratic leaders are unwilling to bring up a bill for an up-down vote," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.

While the White House is correct that it cannot force the Democrats' hand, the announcement has to come as a blow to Republican members, many of whom have returned to Washington to participate in the protest sessions. They would have appreciated an assist from the president in forcing Democrats to open a session of the House without bringing up drilling for a vote. Furthermore, there are Democrats who are siding with Republicans in the effort to increase American oil production. Seventeen of them voted with every Republican in opposing the leadership's motion to adjourn for the August recess. Those Democrats may have prevailed upon the leadership to call a vote if the House was forced back into session. Nevertheless, Republican members will continue their speeches to a recessed House chamber all through this week.

Sen. Barack Obama announced his energy policy today in a speech in Lansing, MI. Early reports on the speech revealed that Obama was going to call for an energy rebate to American families to be paid for by a windfall profits tax on American oil companies. He was also expected to discuss his new-found support for limited offshore drilling as a part of a broader energy bill containing incentives for alternative fuels. But there was another, unexpected, policy shift in Sen. Obama's speech: a call for tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Obama proposed releasing 70 million barrels of light crude from the reserve, saying that supplies in the nation's emergency stockpile of oil could be replaced at a later date with heavier oil. The theory is that lighter crude is easier to refine into gasoline, and thus would have a more immediate impact on prices.

Republicans pointed out that just last month, however, Obama opposed opening up the strategic petroleum reserve. He told a St. Louis, MO, audience that the stockpile, "has to be reserved for a genuine emergency." McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds recalled that remark in a statement on Obama's energy plan today.

"The last release of oil from the strategic reserve came in response to Hurricane Katrina, but the only crisis that has developed since Barack Obama last rejected this idea two months ago is a slide in his poll numbers."

Sen. Barack Obama, celebrating his 47th birthday today, will give his campaign a present today in Lansing, MI, when he announces a new energy plan. The plan, dubbed "New Energy for America" will have as its centerpiece an energy rebate to American families to be paid for by a windfall profits tax on American oil companies. Obama also recently changed his position on offshore drilling, saying that he would now be open to expanding oil production at home as part of a package with incentives for alternative fuels. Obama had as recently as two weeks ago been opposed to increased drilling.

Both the energy rebate and support for drilling are new features of Obama's energy policy. His previous energy plan contained no mention of either, leading to speculation on the reason for the policy shift. Sen. John McCain has been hitting Obama hard on the issue of gas prices, running an ad directly linking Obama's refusal to support increased production and prices at the pump. House Republicans have also been putting a great deal of pressure on Democratic leaders of Congress to allow a vote on offshore drilling, a debate that they appear to be winning with the American people. Pols show that large majorities of Americans support increasing American oil production in an attempt to lower gas prices.

But an overlooked reason for the policy shift by the Obama campaign may be the vice-presidential search. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has reportedly been getting a lot of attention as a possible running mate for Sen. Obama. Kaine supports drilling off the Virginia coast, and will likely sign a bill passed last month by the state legislature to allow exploration for oil resources in Virginia coastal waters. The sudden change by the Obama campaign to favor limited exploration for oil may be designed to preempt questions about differences between Obama and his running mate.

Flush with success and armed with favorable press coverage of Friday's House floor protest by Republican lawmakers, Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) announced today that Republicans will take to the floor again on Monday to continue pressing Democrats for a vote on offshore drilling. In a memo to colleagues prepared by Boehner and House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), the Republican leadership urged lawmakers to come back to Washington for the demonstration, or spread the word in their districts.

The consequences of continued congressional inaction on gas prices are unacceptable. We've called on the Speaker to call Congress back into an emergency session this month and schedule a vote on the American Energy Act. We must continue to make a stand until the Speaker complies.

Friday's action seems to have moved the debate in favor of drilling. Sen. Barack Obama said in an interview on Saturday that he would be open to a compromise on energy legislation in the Senate that would allow offshore drilling in exchange for increased funding for alternative fuels. That is a major shift for Obama, whose official position as recently as two weeks ago was that new drilling would, "would merely prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for 30 years." Now, Obama says that he does not want to be "rigid" in his opposition to more domestic oil production.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who has been stubbornly refusing to allow a vote on drilling, is beginning to feel the heat as well. Confronted this morning on ABC's This Week with the words of Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), who said that, "There is going to be a vote...the message [on drilling] has been delivered," Pelosi allowed that "maybe" there would be one in September, "if it is part of a larger energy package."

The House officially adjourned for the five-week August recess today, but that did not stop Republicans from making their point about opening up oil drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf. The House GOP had been pressuring Democratic leaders to hold a vote on offshore drilling before the recess, and with the help of 17 Democrat members came within one vote of defeating the motion to adjourn. Today, Republicans took their protests directly to the floor of the House, refusing to leave the chamber after it adjourned, and continuing to make their speeches.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) responded by turning off the lights, cameras, and microphones in the House chamber. But Republicans were undeterred. They spoke through megaphones in the dark, brought visitors from the House gallery down to the floor, and chanted, "Work, work, work!" as the event began to take on the feel of a revolt. Republican leaders couched their actions in exactly those terms.

Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) called the action, "the new Boston Tea Party." Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) said, "This is the people's House. This is not Pelosi's politiburo." Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) implored those watching from the gallery, "Tell your friends the Republicans refuse to go quietly!" adding that he would not leave until, "we call this Congress back into session and vote for energy independence." House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) called the event historic.

"The historic event that unfolded today on the floor of the People's House was about more than gas prices. We witnessed the power of American democracy in action. Dozens of House Republicans joined hundreds of American citizens on the House floor to protest Speaker Pelosi's decision to send Congress home for the rest of the summer without voting for more American-made energy and lower gas prices.

Today, House Republicans and the American people stood side by side to make history together. We sent a powerful message to Speaker Pelosi, Senators Reid and Obama, and other top Democrats that we will not rest until they allow a vote for more American energy and lower gas prices...House Republicans and the American people showed today that we will stand united together on the most important issue facing our nation – and we will fight boldly until Congress finally heeds our will."

The House of Representatives voted to adjourn for a five-week August recess today, despite an effort by Republicans and some Democrats to keep the chamber in session. The vote on the motion to adjourn was 213-212 in favor, with every Republican voting against and 17 Democrats joining them. Republicans have been pressuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to allow a vote on domestic oil drilling before the August recess. That effort failed today, but not before Republicans managed to kill the Democrats' answer to high oil prices, a bill aimed at tighter regulation of speculators.

Republicans lambasted the Democrats for failing to act on the issue before the recess. House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) said the vote showed that the Democratic leadership is out of touch with the American people on energy policy.

"The Democratic Majority today delivered the ultimate insult to the solid majority of Americans and a bipartisan majority in Congress who want an up-or-down vote on more American-made energy. Instead of listening to the American people, Speaker Pelosi and Senators Reid and Obama bowed to their allies at radical special interest groups like the Sierra Club, which has plainly stated that America is 'better off without cheap gas' [...]

Every time Americans fill up their tanks during the month of August and pay today's historic gas prices, they will have Speaker Pelosi and Senators Reid and Obama to thank.

Democrats promised to bring the speculation bill back to the floor when the House returns in September. But that is more than five weeks away. All during that time, Republicans will be using the Democrats refusal to even hold a vote on drilling against them on the campaign trail.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has signaled that he is willing to allow votes in the Senate on increased oil exploration before the August recess. The offer of a compromise from Reid comes as minority Republicans have bottled up Senate business on an energy bill in an attempt to force votes on lifting the Congressional ban on offshore drilling. Reid gave in to the pressure in offering the votes, but wants the Republican amendments to be subject to a 60 vote threshold for passage. Republicans are thus far holding out for more amendments and a rule allowing passage by a simple majority.

Reid has bigger problems than Republican demands, however. His offer of has angered some more liberal members of his own caucus and has alienated Democrats in the House. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) was unequivocal in his opposition to the compromise. "I am unalterably opposed to drilling," he said. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) was also less than enthusiastic, cautioning Reid to be, "very careful about drilling off the coast of Alaska." Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who has stubbornly refused to allow a vote on offshore drilling in her chamber, said that offshore drilling is off limits and focused attention on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, was similarly skeptical. "I don't think any of the proposals to open more areas for oil drilling off the coast of our country makes a lot of sense."

But in offering the deal, Reid is only bowing to the political realities surrounding the issue. The public supports increasing production of American oil in this summer of record high gas prices. And the recent drop in the price of a barrel of oil has not changed that fact. Republicans have been relentlessly pushing drilling as a means to help lower oil and gasoline prices and are hoping to capitalize on Democratic inaction on the issue in the November elections. Reid knows that failing to allow at least a vote could bring consequences at the polls this fall.

Senate Republicans are threatening to block action on any non-energy related bill in in the Senate unless the Democratic leadership of the chamber agree to vote with Republicans to expand offshore drilling. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that gas prices above $4 a gallon required the Senate and Congress to rearrange its priorities before taking the traditional August recess.

"We think there is nothing more important that we can do right now than to deal with the Number One issue of the country. This is the biggest issue since terrorism right after 9/11. People are pounding on their desks, saying, 'Why don't these people get together and do something about this problem?'"

Republicans have been relentlessly hammering the majority Democrats for their refusal to even allow a vote on expanded drilling. Sen. John McCain has been mentioning gas and oil prices at every opportunity on the campaign trail. The strategy appears to be working. Polls show that a majority of Americans agree that more offshore drilling should be allowed in this time of record high gas prices. And some elected Democrats have been coming around to the idea of allowing some expansion of exploration for oil and gas off the coasts. The Senate's number two Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin, from Sen. Barack Obama's home state of Illinois, made news recently when he stated that he may be open to expanded drilling. Durbin said he was opposed to offshore drilling but added, "Beyond that, if there is a suggestion of some new area to go into, I'll look at it."

With precious little time in the legislative calendar before the campaign season gets into full swing in the fall, Republicans are attempting to focus the electorate on what they term as Democrats obstruction on domestic energy production. Republicans want voters to draw a direct connection between Democrats' opposition to drilling and high gas prices. In a year in which the electoral cards seem to be stacked against them, Republicans feel that they have found a winning issue on which to stake their chances in November.

Sen. John McCain was talking oil prices today at a campaign stop in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and he credited President Bush with the over $20 a barrel drop in the price of oil since July 11. Oil closed on that day at $147.27 a barrel. On the following Monday, President Bush announced that he was lifting the executive branch ban on drilling for oil in the Outer Continental Shelf. The next day, oil prices dropped greater than $7 a barrel and have continued dropping, finishing today trading at $124.65.

McCain, who has called on Congress to lift its moratorium on offshore drilling, said that Bush's call for expanded exploration had signaled to the markets that the United States may open up its supplies, causing speculators to bid down the price. The White House was more modest, with Press Secretary Dana Perino accepting credit for the price drop, but hinting that other factors could have been at work as well.

"I don't know if we fully deserve the credit. We don't predict what happens in the market. We can't really tell. Certainly, taking that action would send a signal that at least the executive branch is serious about moving forward and increasing the supply we have in America."

McCain has taken to mentioning gas prices on the campaign trail at every opportunity in hopes of ratcheting up pressure on his opponent, Sen. Barack Obama. The campaign recently released a national television ad focusing on what the campaign terms as Obama's obstructionism on oil development and its impact on gas prices. It is a smart strategy. Polls show that the public broadly backs McCain's call for increased drilling, and it shows that McCain is in touch with ordinary people's frustrations about the high cost of gasoline.