Senate Dems consider long-term continuing resolution

Senate Democratic leaders are now considering a measure that would fund the federal government into next March — three months later than previously planned — although the move is unlikely to prevent a lame-duck congressional session. 

Party leaders advanced the new idea Monday morning in a reversal of their previous strategy of a shorter-term continuing resolution, according to senior Democratic aides and lobbyists. Under that previous scenario, Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) leading option was a measure funding the government into December, forcing legislators back to Washington that month for another stopgap measure.

{mosads}While that possibility has been tamped down for now, a lame-duck session is still more likely than not. The Senate’s schedule this week has been largely hijacked by a Wall Street bailout plan, which has thrown the Democratic agenda off course in an already crowded week. Plans to bring up an energy debate, for example, have been largely scuttled but could be revived in a post-election session.

For now, Democratic leaders plan to bring to the Senate floor Tuesday a package bill containing energy tax extenders, an Alternative Minimum Tax fix, disaster relief and mental health parity legislation.

Senate leaders are still privately expecting to adjourn on Friday as planned, although that depends on this week’s schedule.

Meanwhile, House Democrats on Monday released a draft of their own funding language — which includes the energy bill the House passed last week, allowing coastal states to authorize offshore oil drilling beyond 50 miles from their shoreline. That bill is opposed by many House and Senate Republicans and considered unlikely to pass the upper chamber

Many Republicans oppose the energy bill because it ends tax breaks for oil companies and allows the sale of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The offshore drilling component is intended by Democrats to block drilling less than 50 miles offshore. The ban lifted by President Bush earlier this year would have allowed it beyond three miles of a coastline. But the bill does not include any revenue-sharing arrangement for coastal states, which was another reason it is opposed by many senators.

The White House did not respond to an immediate request for comment. However, a shorter continuing resolution would force lawmakers back to Washington after the election, meaning they would have to deal with the current administration and not the next.

Manu Raju contributed to this report.