Reid told House Democratic leaders during a meeting Tuesday that he shared their goal of adjourning after the fourth week of September, giving Congress only a little more than six weeks to finish its loaded schedule. The Senate leader confirmed to The Hill Wednesday that he shared the House’s target adjournment date.

Republicans have frustrated Reid by launching dozens of filibusters to slow Senate business. Reid has often threatened to keep the Senate in session into weekends and the first few days of congressional recess as a tactic to pressure his colleagues to speed their work.

As Election Day nears, however, it has become clear that Democratic leaders have little desire to keep their members away from the campaign trail during what some analysts predict could be a windfall election for their party.

However, Democrats may have to sacrifice progress on various legislative priorities to give themselves a full six weeks to campaign.

Leaders have already acknowledged that many of the annual spending bills will not pass before the election.

“I don’t think he should be waiting in bated breath to get these bills anyway, because he’s unwilling to work with us,” Reid said recently, referring to President Bush. “The point is we’re going to have a lot of trouble doing our appropriations bills this year because of the inability of the White House to compromise on anything.”

Reid unveiled his highest remaining legislative priorities earlier this week.

He said the Senate would focus this month on passing a gas prices bill, consumer product safety legislation, a measure addressing the spread of AIDS in Africa and legislation extending energy production tax incentives.