Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has signed off on a tentative debt-ceiling compromise, saying he hopes lawmakers can finalize a deal and move to a vote as early as Sunday. The Senate, after voting against House Republicans' proposal Friday night, effectively killed Reid's counterproposal Sunday afternoon. Reid won over just one Republican supporter, Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, for his bill Sunday afternoon. Lawmakers have until Aug. 2 to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. Sources said the tentative arrangement between the White House and Republicans closely resembles the plan first proffered by House Speaker John Boehner before he modified it to appease Tea Party conservatives.
Top aides to House GOP lawmakers told Fox News they were concerned about the emerging deal. Speaking from Capitol Hill Sunday night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressed optimism that a final deal to raise the nation’s debt limit has been reached.
Republicans are objecting to the amount of defense spending cuts in the first year of the deal. Lieberman publicly expressed his concern about the defense cuts in a statement Sunday evening.
Moderates like Lieberman don't like the defense cuts and at least one senate liberal, independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has said he will not support the bill because it relies soley on spending cuts and does not raise taxes to maintain government services.
Will liberals in Congress sign off on the debt deal? Not Senator Bernie Sanders.