By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON-Two weeks after the House adjourned and with most of his congressional colleagues on vacation or campaigning for re-election, Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., was back on the House floor Friday.
He and other Republicans are still demanding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi return to Washington to address off-shore oil drilling and other energy concerns.
"This is too important," Davis said in a House chamber filled with tourists and a handful of Republican members.
"Even Paris Hilton got it," he said, referencing the need for a compromise energy plan that calls for conservation and investment in alternative energy, but also spurs more domestic production.
Davis said the charade is starting to pay off, with signs Pelosi is starting to warm-up to the idea of off-shore drilling so long as it comes with other measures.
"We're going to make sure that flip turns into a flop," Davis said.
But with the Republicans for a second full week playing their own version of "House" in the Capitol --without Democrats, cameras, microphones, TV lights, or even the promise of their words going into the public record - some Republican staffers showed they were growing tired of ushering groups of tourists through tiny Republican offices to the House floor.
"It's hell," one staffer said, who didn't want his name published.
Tourists by and large enjoyed the chance to sit on the House floor, but were skeptical the Republican talkathon would result in much real congressional action.
"I was very surprised with security the way it is that we'd have the chance to come down here," said Mark Ostrander, a Republican visiting from Riga, Mich.
"They're talking about a good thing -- not sure if it'll do any good or not," he said.
The Republican effort, which has now included participation from more than 100 members, includes a daily prayer and pledge of allegiance, but the speeches are as much civics lessons as they are political jabs at the Democrats.
At one point Davis described how Congress will need to pass continuing resolutions this year to keep the government running, a procedural move to keep the government funded at roughly current budget levels.
"The point is Congress should not take a five-week paid vacation," Davis said. He then listed the less meaningful work the body has enacted this year, joking Congress could spend 40 minutes debating a tribute to country music, but didn't have time to tackle energy policy this August as gas prices hovered at $4 a gallon.
"National Watermelon Month passed with a good bipartisan majority," he said. "Get a serious enough issue and we can work together."
Republicans have vowed to keep up their effort through their own political convention, which runs through the first week of September.
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He and other Republicans are still demanding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi return to Washington to address off-shore oil drilling and other energy concerns.
"This is too important," Davis said in a House chamber filled with tourists and a handful of Republican members.
"Even Paris Hilton got it," he said, referencing the need for a compromise energy plan that calls for conservation and investment in alternative energy, but also spurs more domestic production.
Davis said the charade is starting to pay off, with signs Pelosi is starting to warm-up to the idea of off-shore drilling so long as it comes with other measures.
"We're going to make sure that flip turns into a flop," Davis said.
But with the Republicans for a second full week playing their own version of "House" in the Capitol --without Democrats, cameras, microphones, TV lights, or even the promise of their words going into the public record - some Republican staffers showed they were growing tired of ushering groups of tourists through tiny Republican offices to the House floor.
"It's hell," one staffer said, who didn't want his name published.
Tourists by and large enjoyed the chance to sit on the House floor, but were skeptical the Republican talkathon would result in much real congressional action.
"I was very surprised with security the way it is that we'd have the chance to come down here," said Mark Ostrander, a Republican visiting from Riga, Mich.
"They're talking about a good thing -- not sure if it'll do any good or not," he said.
The Republican effort, which has now included participation from more than 100 members, includes a daily prayer and pledge of allegiance, but the speeches are as much civics lessons as they are political jabs at the Democrats.
At one point Davis described how Congress will need to pass continuing resolutions this year to keep the government running, a procedural move to keep the government funded at roughly current budget levels.
"The point is Congress should not take a five-week paid vacation," Davis said. He then listed the less meaningful work the body has enacted this year, joking Congress could spend 40 minutes debating a tribute to country music, but didn't have time to tackle energy policy this August as gas prices hovered at $4 a gallon.
"National Watermelon Month passed with a good bipartisan majority," he said. "Get a serious enough issue and we can work together."
Republicans have vowed to keep up their effort through their own political convention, which runs through the first week of September.
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