Shutdown Deal Reached, Senate Confirms, Default Averted [Breaking, Live Video]

A deal to end the government shutdown has been reached, the Senate has confirmed.

Early reports indicate that the government shutdown may end by midnight, and that default on US debt will be avoided.

BuzzFeed reports:

More than two weeks after the partial government shutdown began, Senate leaders have made a deal to reopen the government and avoid a default as soon as midnight tonight.”

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) confirmed the deal to end the shutdown, saying more details were to come:

“I understand that they’ve come to an agreement but I’m going to let the leader announce that.”

Ayotte told CNN that the Tea Party caucus led by Sen. Ted Cruz could continue efforts to delay a deal, saying:

“It’s up to him. I would hope he wouldn’t [sabotage the end of the government shutdown]… Senators can cause to you run out the clock, but what’s he trying to gain at this point? I would hope that whatever comes forward, that we would allow a vote on it as soon as possible.”

Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) explained that while lots of partisan blame was being passed around, that the shaky end of the impasse was still subject to a fragile truce:

This is not a time to point fingers of blame… This is a time of reconciliation.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that the deal”is far less than many of us hoped for, quite frankly, but far better than what some had fought,” adding that it was “time for Republicans to unite behind other crucial goals.”

Breaking: Senate reaches deal that would avoid default, end shutdown, and give tea partiers almost nothing http://t.co/ZCSGBDVk2F

— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) October 16, 2013

Across the board, Republican leaders including Cruz, Rand Paul, and Lindsay Graham indicated that the government shutdown deal was a disappointment to the party, but that a white flag was not avoidable under the current circumstances.