House Democrats for the third time in a row have failed to move a key part of their energy agenda forward.

In a 268-157 vote on Thursday, Democrats fell short of moving legislation to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which Democratic leaders argue would lower gas prices. Democrats needed two-thirds of the House to support the bill because it was placed on the suspension calendar, a tactic that prevents Republicans from offering procedural motions.

Democrats twice previously had lost suspension votes on their “use it or lose it” bill to force energy companies to diligently work toward getting oil and gas out of their leased lands or be forced to vacate them.

Republicans derided the majority’s continued use of the suspension calendar, which is motivated in part to avoid votes on drilling in coastal waters.

“It takes 218 votes to pass a bill in the House,” said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.). “I don’t know why we’re playing the smoke-and-mirrors game.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) defended her approach.

“We’re bringing up the bill because of this very discrete suggestion: This will reduce the price at the pump,” Pelosi said Thursday. She said measures to open the reserve and force energy companies to drill on leased lands are meant to be discreet votes “which we believe are in the direction our country should go in.”

Pelosi denied that Democrats are relying on the suspension calendar to avoid a vote on opening up now-closed areas in the Gulf of Mexico and possibly Alaska to drilling.

“What the president would like to do is have a validation for his failed policy. And that’s not something that will come easily to him,” Pelosi said. “If he wants to do that, he can do it on his time.”

Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio) again ripped into the approach Pelosi has taken to bringing up energy bills in the House.

"I'm tired of this and the American people are tired of this — they want a real vote. And they want more American-made energy and they want Congress to do something about it,” Boehner said. “Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama are scared to death we will have a real vote. We have eight days before August recess; we want a vote on the floor before we leave.”