Congress is off this week, as lawmakers will rest up for what promises to be a brutal run through the month of July.  Brutal in the sense of lots of work, and brutal in the sense that it will be brass tacks time on some big time issues.

While the Cap and Trade bill is still getting lots of attention, the real focus in July will be health care reform for the Congress.

Democrats in the House and Senate are going to have to finally lay some cards on the table when it comes to a government health insurance option (the public plan) and how it's all going to be paid for (translated: some major tax increases.)

Democrats wanted a bill out of two Senate committees by last week, but that didn't happen.  Any time that's wasted at the start of July will really hamper efforts to get something approved before the Senate goes on its August recess.

Also in July, we will have the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, which start on July 13.  That will suck some oxygen out of the Congress for a few days.

Behind the scenes, there is certain to be work on the cap and trade bill in the Senate as well.  While I don't think the bill can get approved, you can't count it out now that the House has approved it.

On top of that will be work on all the 12 major spending bills for the next fiscal year, and all the inherent battling over earmarks, budget levels and more.

I feel like I need a vacation just thinking of the next six weeks.  Should be a fun time.  Stay tuned.

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