The road to a deal on raising the nation's debt limit now runs squarely through the U.S. Senate, as lawmakers in Congress get ready for a weekend of work and finger pointing, with just three days until an Obama Administration deadline that has spurred furious political activity in Washington, D.C.
The debt limit fight moved to the Senate Friday evening after Republicans finally muscled their version of a debt limit bill through the House on a vote of 218-210, as 22 GOP lawmakers defied their leadership and voted against the plan, arguing that deeper budget changes were needed.
In a speech before the final vote was taken, House Speaker John Boehner used his time in the Well of the House to bash Democrats and the White House, accusing them of doing little to advance the debate on the debt limit.
"It is time for the Administration and time for our colleagues across the aisle - put something on the table!" Boehner demanded to applause from Republicans and catcalls from Democrats on the House floor.
"Not one time did the Administration ever put one plan on the table," said Boehner, who reportedly has not spoken to President Obama since meeting with him last weekend.
While Republicans celebrated their Friday evening victory, Democrats in the Senate quickly snuffed out the candles on the GOP cake, voting down the Boehner bill just two hours later.
Six Republican Senators joined all Democrats in voting against the Speaker's bill in a 59-41 tally, but none of the GOP Senators were seemingly candidates to join with Reid in any plan that was to the left of the political spectrum.
In his floor remarks, Reid continued to blast Republicans with a level of rhetoric that was more than normal for his time as Senate Majority Leader.
“They basically have given the right wing even more than what they had before," said Reid, who has ridiculed the House debt limit bill as nothing more than an outlet for wild-eyed Tea Party supporters on the Republican side.
Immediately after the Senate vote on the House debt limit bill, Reid made the expected flurry of parliamentary motions (known as "filling the tree" to block GOP amendments) as he set the stage for a first cloture vote at 1:01 am on Sunday morning.
If the vote occurs then, that would be the time that Reid would be expected to unveil a deal on the budget and debt limit. A final vote could then take place around 7:30 am on Monday.
But as Senators left the Capitol on Friday, there was uncertainty on when a deal could be reached, as Democrats accused Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of refusing to negotiate with Reid.
McConnell's office refused to comment on the charge, which came amid talk that the Senate GOP Leader has been negotiating with Vice President Biden instead of Reid.
McConnell and Reid tangled several times on the Senate floor Friday evening, as Reid demanded an immediate vote on his plan; McConnell offered that, but only if there was a 60 vote threshhold involved. Reid angrily refused.
The maneuvering was a reminder that Reid will need 60 votes at some point to rule out a filibuster - and right now, he does not have that many votes.
Both the House and Senate will be in session on Saturday, in fact the House will vote on Reid's budget plan, a show vote that will allow Republican leaders to declare that the ideas of Senate Democrats can't get through both chambers.
