. >> lori montgomery, to expect anything else to go on today? when is the earliest that the senators will come back in for session tomorrow? >> the senate is due back in at 1:00. the house is due at 6:30. the house is the big question mark. it is very difficult to imagine what could pass the house. as for today, it is an excellent question. the senate is not in, the house is not in. my understanding is we're going to have basically everyone working quietly to see if we can reach an agreement. it will be interesting to see if they give us any information today. >> lori montgomery of the "washington post," also fiscal policy reporter there. thank you very much for being on the program. >> thank you for having me. >> and acted on the fiscal cliff on this morning's washington journal. it is about 40 minutes -- an update on the fiscal cliff on this morning's boston to journal. it is about 40 minutes. >> one of the articles in this morning's wall street journal had the headline, a payroll tax is likely. expires on monday. the idea of extending the tax

lori montgomery of the "washington post," thank you. >> thank you. >> ifill: still to come on the newshour, the right-to-work battle in michigan; tax breaks on the chopping block; homeland security secretary janet napolitano; toxic chemicals in sandy's storm surge; and factory workers at risk around the world. but first, with the other news of the day, here's hari sreenivasan. >> sreenivasan: egyptian president mohammed morsi called out the military today, ahead of next weekend's referendum on a new constitution. opposition forces say the document will enshrine the power of islamists and curb human rights. security forces were deployed today near the presidential palace where protesters remain camped out. they said it's not enough that morsi rescinded decrees that granted him near-absolute power. e new constitutional declaration canceled the first one but statement it contained the same statement as the previous one. he is playing with us and trying to gain time until the referendum. we understand that. nothing changes our position because we know he hasn't changed anything. >> sreenivasan

let's bring in lori montgomery for "the washington post," democratic strategy blake zeff. we decided to focus on this today. lori, let me start with you. both house leaders today, it really seems as if talks are -- it seems they're at a standstill, but our first read team is convinced a deal is in sight. we heard from debbie wasserman schultz she heard a deal is in sight. what are you hearing? >> you can see what the framework of a deal is, and i think today you heard speaker boehner. his office tried to walk it back, but for the first time he made public remarks where he didn't rule out an increase in tax rates. you have to wonder if they don't start to move towards a resolution it to what has been the big stumbling point. >> zachary, she mentioned an increase in rates. it would seem that the magic number might be 37%. the president said 39.5% for the highest income earners. right now we're at 35%. maybe i'm oversimplifying, but the obvious compromise would be right smack in the middle. no? >> we'll take a finger in the wind. this is where people don't like to see the legi

. >> lori montgomery, do we expect anything going on today, and if not, when is the earliest the senators will come back and recession tomorrow? >> the senate is due back in at 1:00. the house is due in at 6:30. the house is the big question mark here. as for today, it is an excellent question. the senate is not in. the house is not in. my understanding is we're going to have basically everyone working quietly to see if we can reach an agreement co. i will be interesting to see if they give us any information today. >> lori montgomery of the "washington post." find her articles at wp.com. >> both chambers of congress are scheduled to be in tomorrow it. live coverage of the house again is a to o'clock p.m. eastern with votes as early as 6:30 p.m.. the senate grovels at 1:00 p.m. eastern time -- gavels in at 1:00 p.m. eastern time. and look at what is next door iraq, who will be joined by michael gordon. "washingtone on "newsmake journal." luke messer will talk about the 113th congress and his priorities as the incoming republican freshmen class representative. next, testimony on nasa and b