WITH 95 MINUTES UNTIL A SHUTDOWN…. A report this evening from Roll Call, published at 10:15 (eastern), suggests the pieces are just about in place.
Lawmakers appear to be very close to a deal to avert a government shutdown after Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) agreed to drop a rider on Planned Parenthood and Democrats agreed to some minor spending changes.
Negotiations are ongoing, but both sides were hoping to reach a deal and then quickly pass a short-term continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown that would begin at midnight.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said on the Senate floor that the Planned Parenthood rider has “been worked out now.”
The progress was significant enough for Sen. Mike Johanns (R) of Nebraska to accidentally issue a press release, praising “both sides” for “avoiding a shutdown.”
Johanns jumped the gun — there is no formal agreement just yet, and no deal has been announced — but there’s quite a bit of optimism on the Hill.
