Senate leaders say deal on spending, tax cut measures may come soon [View all]

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Rosalind S. Helderman, Washington Post

Showing a new conciliatory tone, Senate leaders opened congressional business Thursday by suggesting that a bipartisan compromise might come soon on a spending measure to keep the government running past Friday and a bill to extend a one-year cut in the payroll tax rate paid by 160 million workers.

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who has been holding up a $1 trillion spending measure that would fund much of the government through next September, said he believes both issues can be resolved “in the next few days.”

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) likewise said that he and Reid have been in talks about how to move forward and that he is “confident and optimistic” about an agreement.

The government would face a partial shutdown at midnight Friday unless Congress resolves its latest spending battle.

full: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-leaders-say-deal-on-spending-tax-cut-measures-may-come-soon/2011/12/15/gIQAR6ozvO_singlePage.html