(WASHINGTON) — After weeks of brinkmanship, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a vote Thursday night on a deal with Republicans to raise the debt limit by $480 billion until Dec. 3.

The procedural move to break the GOP filibuster, which will require 60 votes, is scheduled for approximately 7:30 p.m.

At least 10 Republicans will need to side with all Democrats to clear the hurdle to move forward to a final vote. After that, Democrats are expected to raise the debt limit with a simple majority — with Vice President Kamala Harris, as president of the Senate, set to cast the necessary tie-breaking, 51st vote.

Schumer announced earlier in the day that Democrats and Republicans had reached an agreement to avert the U.S. defaulting on its debt for the first time.

“We have reached an agreement to extend the debt ceiling through early December, and it’s our hope that we can get this done as soon as today,” Schumer said Thursday morning, referring to a Senate vote.

McConnell followed Schumer and confirmed the deal was close to a vote — with the GOP leader claiming credit for saving the American people from default and the Democrats from themselves.

“The Senate is moving toward the plan I laid out last night to spare the American people a manufactured crisis,” he said.

But as of Thursday afternoon, Republican leaders struggled to find 10 GOP votes to break the filibuster following weeks of messaging to members that Democrats should go it alone.

The agreement to raise the debt ceiling by $480 billion would give the Treasury Department the borrowing authority it says is needed to get the government through to Dec. 3.

The Senate deal comes a little more than a week before Oct. 18 — the date Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen pegged as when the U.S. will no longer be able to cover its debts.

Dec. 3 is also the expiration date of the stopgap government funding bill needed to keep the government running. It also comes as Democrats are still working to pass President Joe Biden’s sweeping domestic policy agenda, paving the way for a busy two months.

Some Republicans have privately expressed frustration with McConnell, after following GOP messaging for weeks that Democrats would have to raise the debt ceiling on their own.

“In the end, we’ll be there,” said Republican Whip Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. “It’ll be a painful birthing process.”

Before the debt hike hits Biden’s desk, it would also need to pass the House.

Real-world consequences of the U.S. defaulting would include delays to Social Security payments and checks to service members, a suspension of veterans’ benefits, and rising interest rates on credit cards, car loans and mortgages.

As Biden arrived in Chicago on Thursday to promote COVID-19 vaccination mandates, the president was cautiously optimistic when asked if he would commit to signing the short-term solution to the crisis facing the country.

Holding up crossed fingers, Biden replied, “We’ve got to see if the deal is done. I’m not sure of that yet.”

After White House press secretary Jen Psaki’s lukewarm reception to McConnell’s offers on Wednesday, the White House appeared more receptive on Thursday, now that Democrats on the Hill signaled their agreement.

“This is a positive step forward, the debt ceiling, short term deal that we’re seeing and it gives us some breathing room from the catastrophic default we were approaching because of Senator McConnell’s decision to play politics with our economy,” deputy press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

Pressed on the change in tone, she said, “This is a temporary respite, but we’re not going to let up until Senator McConnell stops obstructing and allows us to put this behind us for good.”

Jean-Pierre wouldn’t say if the White House would sign on to Democrats beginning the budget reconciliation process for a longer-term debt ceiling fix, considering they’ll have more time now to navigate the complicated process, but it’s clear a longer-term solution will be needed.

“We’ll defer to them on the process,” she said of congressional Democrats, “But as the agreement shows there’s no, there’s nothing stopping Congress from addressing the debt limit, through regular order, which is what we have been asking for.”

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