{Washington seemed closer to resolving its bitter impasse over the government shutdown and the debt ceiling on Monday, as top Senators looked to broker a deal, while President Barack Obama scheduled and then postponed a meeting with Hill leaders to give them more time to talk.}
Senate majority leader Harry Reid and minority leader Mitch McConnell both said things were looking brighter, and sources said Reid privately made an offer to McConnell that would raise the debt limit and reopen the government, though the details of that offer remain murky.
“We have had an opportunity over the last couple of days to have some very constructive exchanges of views about how to move forward,” McConnell, the top Senate Republican, said on the House floor. “Those discussions continue, and I share [the] optimism that we’re going to get a result that will be acceptable to both sides.”
Reid agreed that “constructive, good faith negotiations” are under way.
“I’m very optimistic that we will reach an agreement that’s reasonable in nature this week to reopen the government, pay the nation’s bills and begin long-term negotiations to put our country on sound fiscal footing,” Reid said.
Negotiations shifted to the Senate after talks between Obama and House Republicans failed to yield an agreement last week.
The Time
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