As Congress prepares to return next week amid an already heated battle over health care, Democrats continue to fight back against what they say is Republican scare tactics.

For instance, the Republican National Committee released a TV ad yesterday featuring Chairman Michael Steele accusing President Obama and Democrats of working against the interests of senior citizens by cutting Medicare. The Democratic National Committee said the GOP was simply down to its last resort in its attempts to "block health care reform" -- lying.

Today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is slamming 26 House Republicans for a "say-anything strategy to kill health insurance reform" as they "masquerade as defenders of Medicare."

A press release headed for the Members' districts calls out 137 Republicans for voting earlier this year "to end Medicare as it's presently known." So, the release reads, "Steele's comments represent either an abrupt turnaround for a party with a long history of fighting against Medicare or just another hypocritical scare tactic to try and kill health insurance reform."

DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer says in the release that "Republicans' desperate attempt to portray their party as defenders of Medicare is nothing short of laughable hypocrisy and another shameless effort to exploit the fears of America's seniors."

Republicans included in the targeted hit include Leader John Boehner (Ohio), Whip Eric Cantor (Va.), Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) and NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas).