GOP Leaders Request Special Session

Every House Republican leader has signed a letter today calling on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to open a special session of the House to deal with the oil price crisis.

Pelosi is highly unlikely to cave in to this request as House Republicans open their fifth day in a row taking her name in vain and giving floor speeches during a fake session of the House.

In the letter, Republican leaders ask Pelosi to "reconvene the House and allow a vote on a comprehensive, common-sense approach to reducing the price of energy."

The Crypt asked Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) if the GOP was in any negotiations on a compromise energy package, and Blunt said he was in negotiations with Democrats like Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), who backs more offshore drilling, but there are no formal negotiations between congressional leaders who actually set the floor schedule.

Several Republicans continue to raise the threat of a government shutdown this fall if the annual government funding resolution doesn't lift the outer continental shelf drilling moratorium. Blunt says that issue "is going to be up to the Democrats," but Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) says if the drilling prohibition isn't lifted, "I don't care what shuts down.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who has taken some heat from Democrats for playing golf this week while his rank and file members decried the congressional "vacation" known as August recess, will be in the chamber Friday.