Both chambers of Congress were in session today, with the Senate now working on legislative business. The House met for a brief pro forma session in the mid afternoon.
No agreement has been reached yet on a way to resolve the so-called "fiscal cliff" that will set in place across-the-board tax increases and cuts to federal programs in the new year.
Throughout the day, Congressional leaders from both parties spoke about the urgency of reaching a deal.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) opened the Senate today with a call for the House to return to session and consider a Senate-passed bill that would extend tax cuts for incomes under $250,000.
On the Senate floor, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) later expressed his frustration with "the situation we find ourselves in." He dismissed the Senate-passed bill as a "glorified Sense of the Senate resolution," but said he was willing to consider whatever proposals President Obama had to offer.
On the House floor and later, speaking to reporters, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) complained that the House was on vacation while the Senate met for legislative business. He asked Speaker Boehner to reconvene the House.
The House will, in fact, meet for business at 2pm on Sunday, December 30. In a statement confirming the session, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said votes were expected in the early evening and offered that the House might stay in session through Wednesday, January 2, the last day of the 112th Congress
President Obama, who cut short his Hawaii vacation to return to the White House, called Congressional leaders during the day to encourage their work on resolving the "fiscal cliff."