Representative Michael Michaud represents Maine's 2nd District in the United States Congress.

Next week, Congress will reconvene. Even in this election year, it is important that Members of Congress put aside partisan bickering and political grandstanding to address the priorities of the American people. Cooperation and compromise needs to start with the leadership of both parties and work its way down to include rank and file members. Maine, and the nation, deserves nothing less.

At the top of our list needs to be legislation to address the ongoing challenge of high fuel prices. Following close behind needs to be responsible and balanced appropriations bills, that put our country on firm financial footing for the future, while funding governmental responsibilities from our national parks to our national defense. Finally, we have the chance to support our soldiers and sailors when they return home by insisting that the Senate take action the many veterans' bills that the House has passed this year.

On August 19th, I sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner urging cooperation and bipartisanship in the upcoming debate on compromise energy legislation. With prices substantially higher than last year, Maine families are having a tough time filling their gas tanks and are concerned about this winter's upcoming heating season.

Because the current administration and administrations of the past have failed to provide our country with a coherent and effective national energy policy, we find ourselves in a costly and difficult situation. There are many entrenched interests in Washington fighting reform, but I encouraged the House leaders to focus on what Americans need: relief from high fuel prices. Now more than ever, Republicans and Democrats need to come together to do what is right for the American people.

It is important that we reach a compromise. Opening previously-closed lands and waters to expanded domestic drilling, done in an environmentally-sensitive manner and which protects the American people's investment in their public lands, could be a part of that compromise. That compromise should also include support for renewable energy resources and alternatives that will reduce our dependence on oil in the long term. And because even lands opened to drilling today won't deliver oil to market for years, we must increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program as well as release additional oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve.

Congress has a constitutional responsibility, and an obligation to the American people, to provide timely and adequate resources for the operation of our government. The nation depends on federal funding for everything from education to Social Security and Medicare to homeland security. We need to break the deadlock on the eleven appropriations bills, yet to pass the House.

In considering the remaining appropriations bills, we need to remember our responsibility to the nation to pass a fiscally-balanced budget. For my entire twenty-two year career in the Maine Legislature, I worked with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to write balanced budgets. In Congress, I am a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of fiscally responsible Democrats who advocate for reducing taxes and spending, and balancing the budget. Balancing the budget will be a difficult challenge given the unchecked growth in federal spending over the last eight years, but I believe that we are now on the right track towards fiscal discipline.

We must continue to decrease the tax burden, control and cut wasteful spending, and balance the budget. Every American balances their checkbook, and strives to live within their means. We should expect no less from the federal government. I will continue to support measures to decrease the debt and create economic growth for America and the people of Maine.

The House has already approved several bills that would improve health care delivery and expand services for veterans. These included: H.R. 6445, the Veterans Health Care Policy Enhancement Act of 2008, which prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting co-payments for hospital or nursing home care from veterans who are catastrophically disabled; H.R. 6225, which provides equitable employment relief for service members, and H.R. 5892, the Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008, which requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to modernize the disability benefits claims processing system to ensure the accurate and timely delivery of compensation to veterans and their families.

We must demand that the Senate take action on these bills and ensure they are enacted into law before Congress adjourns for the year. The servicemen and women I have met over the years and on my most recent trip to Iraq give their best for us everyday. We should do nothing less for them.

The September session period will be a difficult one but solutions to America's challenges cannot and should not wait for our next president. We must take action now, even if that means both parties need to give a little on their own priorities in order to cooperate on our larger goals.