Aug. 11--WASHINGTON -- Tailored suits and polished shoes represent the customary dress code for lawmakers on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In the past week, however, the chamber's plush leather seats have been occupied by tourists more likely to sport T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.

Since the House officially adjourned Aug. 1, small groups of Republican members have held a "shadow session" to demand that Democrats return and vote on energy legislation that allows for more domestic oil drilling. Members have invited onto the floor their own aides and groups of vacationing tourists.

The faux sessions are expected to continue through the end of the month and possibly until the second week of September, when Congress reconvenes.

They start with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance and close with the singing of "God Bless America."

The time in between has featured some unusual scenes for the House floor -- to say the least:

--Children sitting cross-legged in the grown-ups' seats.

--Parents pacing to soothe upset babies.

--A woman so cold in the heavily air-conditioned chamber that she drapes a newspaper over herself.

Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., called the atmosphere "surreal." The Omaha congressman flew back to Washington for one day on Thursday to help keep the sessions going. He said the action represent a "historic uprising."

Jim Esch -- Terry's challenger in the November election -- and other Democrats have another way to describe the sessions: "partisan stunt."

The Esch campaign has called on Terry to "get back to work" and seek bipartisan solutions to the energy crisis.

Terry wasn't changing course: He planned to return to participate in a session on Tuesday.

This all started when the House adjourned for its customary monthlong August break. A number of Republican members had hoped to deliver speeches arguing for more oil drilling to bring down gas prices. Instead, the Democrats shut everything down, turning off the cameras, the microphones, the lights.

Frustrated Republicans simply kept talking.

Normal House rules didn't apply. The members started bringing tourists and staff onto the floor. Things grew raucous on occasion, with people chanting, giving standing ovations or booing at the mention of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Republican leaders liked what they saw and called on more members to return last week to keep the sessions going.

Democratic leaders say proposals to expand domestic drilling would not increase fuel supplies for a decade. They have criticized the Republicans as acting in the oil companies' interests.

At this point, most of the chambers' lights are on, but microphones and cameras remain off.

With no time limits on speeches, no Democrats to speak in opposition and the occasional audience participation, the "sessions" often seem more like pep rallies.