Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine on Monday blasted Republican campaign committee Chairmen Pete Sessions and John Cornyn, both from Texas, who on Sunday defended the policies of President George W. Bush. 

Under Bush, Congress passed a $1.3 trillion tax bill that was not offset, which some contend contributed mightily to the current deficit.

A reconciled bill to fund the Federal Aviation Administration could be ready this week. 

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) said he expects a final product on the long-delayed bill to be ready for Senate floor action by the middle of the week. 

Rockefeller will give Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) a bill this week he hopes will pass by the August recess, a Senate aide told The Hill. 

The union issue with FedEx and UPS will be handled on the floor, most likely in a separate vote from the main bill, Rockefeller told The Hill.

The House’s FAA bill shifts FedEx ground operations jurisdiction that would put FedEx and UPS under the same rules. FedEx has called it a “bailout” for UPS.

As the rhetoric over spending and debt created by extending unemployment benefits heated up Monday, the Senate is facing decisions this week over more than $100 billion in spending initiatives that aren't offset with other revenue raisers.

Senators are expected to pass a $34 billion extension of unemployment benefits on Tuesday afternoon after a six-week delay caused by a Republican filibuster. 

Meanwhile, Senate Democratic leadership might opt to take a test vote on a House-passed $81.3 billion measure to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and provide disaster aid to states. The bill isn't likely to pass the Senate despite the offsets for other added domestic programs such as education. 

Of the more than $115 billion spending in both bills, only $22.8 billion is paid for — that includes $10 billion for an education jobs fund estimated to help save 140,000 education jobs for the next school year, funding for Pell Grants, summer youth jobs, the Pigford and Cobell settlements and border security among other issues. 

The Senate and House bills each contain about $33 billion that is directed for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, an amount about equal with funding to extend unemployment benefits. 

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) on Tuesday will announce a new campaign seeking to end abusive tax shelters that cost taxpayers as much as $123 billion a year. 

The Business and Investors Against Tax Haven Abuse campaign will mobilize a group of business leaders and investors who want to end abusive tax shelters because they believe they are for bad business.

The White House on Tuesday will host a discussion with community leaders, stake holders and energy experts from the federal government on ways the country can transition to a clean energy economy that will help create jobs and make the United States more competitive abroad. 

The discussion is slated to begin in the morning and is expected to focus on the importance of sustainable buildings in a clean energy economy. Current initiatives and pending legislation is expected to be a part of the conversation. 

A poll found voters were twice as likely to blame President George W. Bush than President Obama for economic problems.

Elizabeth Warren might not have the votes to win confirmation as head of a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, Dodd suggested Monday.

The cost of the oil spill response has risen to almost $4 billion as BP works to maintain the well cap. 

Total costs hit $3.95 billion, which include for containment, relief-well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid and federal costs, BP reported Monday. 

Almost 116,000 claims have been filed by those individuals and businesses affected along the Gulf coast. More than 67,500 payments have been made, totaling $207 million, BP reported Monday. 

President Obama on Monday once again called on Congress to extend an expansion to unemployment insurance and criticized Senate Republicans for blocking the last three attempts to extend the program.