Senators agree in principle on handling Farm Bill

The Democratic and Republicans leaders of the Senate "appear to have reached a deal on how to proceed with debate on the Farm Bill," or at least how to broker a deal, reports Peter Shinn of Brownfield Network.

As Majority Leader Harry Reid gave a speech blistering Republicans for holding the bill up by pushing amendments that Democrats say are not germane to the bill, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell "offered a suggestion on how to wade through the 100 or so" amendments, Shinn reports. "McConnell's recommendation sounded very similar to the Farm Bill approach advocated by Reid when the measure first came to the Senate floor last week."

"I think we ought to see if we can lock in a list," McConnell said. "It will be bigger than we like, but that's how it always starts. Most of those will go away in one way or another, but at least it would help define the universe. I think that's an achievable thing, hopefully sometime this afternoon, and would allow us to get started." Shinn reports, "A clearly relieved Reid accepted McConnell's recommendation immediately. And Reid responded with something more than normal senatorial gratitude.

"It would be untoward on the Senate floor to walk over and hug the Republican leader," Reid joked. "But that's what I feel like doing." However, at 4 p.m., "Negotiations on just which Farm Bill amendments to allow were continuing," Shinn writes. "The Senate is slated to leave for Thanksgiving at the end of the week." (Read more) For audio of Reid and McConnell, click here.