As shutdown looms, few indications of how, when impasse will be broken

Just one week remains until federal funds are set to come to a halt, yet lawmakers remain on a 10-day Presidents Day recess, and staffers in the Senate continue to gear up for scheduled debates on patent reform and other issues.

The majority of press e-mails released by Senate communication teams on Thursday had nothing to do with the budget. A number of senators released statements to applaud Boeing for winning a $35 billion tanker contract from the military. Several released opinions on trade with Columbia. And staffers for the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a steady stream of e-mails regarding debate on the Patent Reform Act, which is still scheduled to begin in the Senate on Monday.

Most of the messages coming out of communication's offices this week on 2011 spending proposals have contained little of substance, instead largely consisting of across-the-aisle sniping. Each side has accused the other of wishing for a government shutdown. There has been little indication of how or when the impasse will be broken.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he had directed Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) to draft a 30-day stopgap measure that would freeze spending at its current levels. Reid said he wanted to give lawmakers time to hash out a budget for the remainder of the year.

Reid has not, however, indicated how or when his plan would be taken up or how he intended to get it passed in the House, where the Republican leadership immediately rejected it.

House Republicans also floated two stopgap measures that would slash billions in just two weeks. Despite reports on Thursday that some Democratic senators were considering deep cuts, the GOP's plan will almost certainly be unpalatable to the Democrat-controlled body.

Behind-the-scenes negotiations are ongoing. Reid said on Tuesday that while has not spoken to Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio), he has directed his Chief of Staff to work with Republicans to come to a compromise. So far there is no indication of how those negotiations are going.

As the deadline draws nearer, it is likely leadership will begin to pursue more concrete, practical steps towards a compromise. 

In a telephone press conference on Friday announcing the most recent of the GOP’s stopgap proposals, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) commented that Congress only works when on deadline. He said he expects most action to occur nearer to the 11th hour.