Congress was in a partisan divide this week over whether to go home for their August recess. In the House, Tom Allen, D-Portland, voted with the Democrats to adjourn. In the Senate, Susan Collins, R-Bangor, voted with the Republicans to stay.

Allen is challenging Collins for her Senate seat.

The measure to adjourn passed narrowly in both chambers, but according to the Politico, House Republicans are still on the floor talking.

The debate was over energy. Republicans wanted to stay to push their plan – one that Allen’s campaign said would be disastrous.

Collins, however, said that Congress voting to adjourn is disappointing and irresponsible.

“Our nation is in an energy crisis,” Collins said in a release. “There is nothing more important that Congress should be dealing with now. I am profoundly disappointed that Congress will take this August break without acting on the comprehensive energy legislation that is needed to combat high energy prices, provide increased funding for weatherization and Low-Income Heating Assistance, and put Americans on a path to achieve energy independence.”

Carol Andrews, spokeswoman for Allen, said that the vote was all about opposing the Republicans’ energy plan.

“Being the Grand Oil Party, the Republicans certainly know a lot about high fuel prices. It is the Republicans – including Senator Susan Collins – who continue to support Big Oil and the policies written specifically to benefit the industry by oilmen,” Andrews said. “The Republicans’ so-called ‘solutions’ to the energy crisis is focus on Big Oil earning even more than the outrageous $308,000 per minute last quarter while Mainers suffered. The largest five oil companies just announced a combined $40 billion quarter profit, just another result of the 2005 Bush-Cheney energy bill that Senator Collins supported.”

Allen has a vigorous campaign schedule planned this month.

The Maine GOP attacked Allen for this decision.

“It's disappointing that Tom Allen voted to go on vacation rather than work to address our current energy crisis,” said Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis in a release. “High gas and oil prices are the most urgent problems facing Mainers right now, and instead of working to come up with solutions, Allen voted to adjourn for the August recess.  This lack of action is certainly not what Mainers expect or deserve when we are facing skyrocketing costs to fuel our cars and heat our homes this winter.  Nor is it the kind of action one takes when asking for the promotion Mr. Allen seeks.”