Reid: With ‘good fortune,’ budget talks could soon be over

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said House Republican leaders and the White House could strike a deal to prevent a government shutdown in the next few days.  


"There are conversations going on with the White House and the Republican leadership in the House and I think this matter, with a little bit of good fortune, could move down the road in the next day or two to get to the point where we can have something done so that there doesn't have to be a government shutdown," Reid said Tuesday morning.

Reid also reported significant advances on other legislation that is pending on the Senate floor.

A popular amendment to repeal 1099 tax reporting requirements in the healthcare law could see a vote Tuesday afternoon, Reid said.

Another controversial amendment to the small business bill, proposed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to strip the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, will likely see a vote Tuesday or Wednesday, Reid said.

“I think we are at a point … where we can vote on the McConnell amendment dealing with the EPA and a couple of other amendments relating to the EPA, and get rid of that issue one way or the other,” Reid said.