The Week of September 15

Congress will have to keep up a supersonic pace to cover its wish list - an energy fix, a second stimulus package, popular tax extenders, the defense authorization bill and a budget tide-over bill - before its target head-home date of September 26. It may end up colliding a few of those efforts together, creating exotic bills that can whip enough votes for passage - or, of course, end up in a legislative black hole.  

Energy: Both the House and Senate could offer up energy packages this week, combining off-shore drilling measures with a menu of green measures including tax breaks and funding for alternative energy and a mandate to use renewable energy for electricity production, paid for in part by taxes on the oil industry.

Defense: The Senate is closing in on passage of the yearly Defense Authorization bill (S 3001).

A second stimulus: With a still flagging economy, Congress plans a second - $50 billion - cash injection to stoke the economy, but instead of checks to taxpayers this time the boost will come in the form of infrastructure investments, cash to help states with Medicaid costs, home heating help and a possible expansion of food stamp coverage.

09's budget: In theory, Congress is supposed to finish a budget by October 1, when fiscal year '09 starts. In practice, Dems have known all year they'd be punting the passage of a final budget to January, when they hope to have a more sympatico president. In the meantime, Congress will have to pass a "continuing resolution" to keep the government funded using 08's budget numbers.