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Talk about down to the wire.

Just two days before the government is set to go into total fiscal calamity, U.S. Senators are hinting that they may have reached a deal that will reopen the government and help avoid the default on federal debt.

Talks between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Republican Mitch McConnell reportedly ended with optimistic proclamations as details about their negotiations leaked.

“We’ve made tremendous progress,” Reid said at the end of a Senate session during a federal holiday, underscoring the urgency of settling a fiscal crisis that was nearing a Thursday deadline. The U.S. Treasury Department estimates it will reach a $16.7 trillion borrowing limit on October 17.

“We hope that with good fortune … that perhaps tomorrow will be a bright day,” Reid said, hinting at the possible Tuesday announcement of a bipartisan Senate deal.

McConnell, who has been a fierce critic of Reid all year, instead had a smile on his face and upbeat words. “We’ve had a good day; had a good day yesterday,” he said of his work with Reid.

The plan being negotiated would end the crippling government shutdown, which is now entering its third week. In addition, it would raise the debt ceiling by enough to cover America’s borrowing needs at least through mid-February 2014.

The deal would also fund government operations through the middle of January, keeping in place the across-the-board “sequester” spending cuts that took effect in March. According to Reuters, it would also set up a new round of budget talks that would try to strike a bargain by year’s end.

And get this: It looks like Obamacare dodged the bullet. Democrats look to have fended off any major changes to the health law, but Republicans might be resistant to accepting a deal that leaves hands off the legislation.

It’s all a waiting game, but we have our fingers crossed that something will be done and done quickly.

SOURCE: Reuters | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty