The power swing is about to change in the Senate after Vice President Kamala Harris is sworn in and becomes the 50-50 chamber's tiebreaker, as Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Mitch McConnell work on an agreement to navigate the split, Politico reported.
Schumer is likely to formally become Senate majority leader Wednesday, the news outlet reported, but the upper chamber will still need to pass an organizing resolution and work out committee ratios and other rules of the road.
"We hope we can come to an agreement," Schumer told reporters Tuesday, Politico reported. McConnell is currently the majority leader and will still have sway over incoming President Joe Biden's agenda.
"They're both pragmatists in that they have to get this done for us to move forward," Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., told Politico. "I think they will. I don't get the sense McConnell is going to hold out for weeks or anything like that."
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told Politico, "given what we've been through as a country — a pandemic, and an attempted coup — this relationship simply has to work."
One of the highest-profile issues that could come up for debate is the future of the Senate's filibuster, Politico reported. Most legislation now requires 60 votes. But if there was a GOP blockade, Schumer could in theory get all his members to get rid of the rule and move legislation with a simple majority.
Some Democrats have said they will not vote to change the rules, but Republicans might want an ironclad commitment, Politico reported.
Politico noted there is more to be negotiated than just the operations of the Senate, however — including when President Donald Trump's impeachment trial will start and how long out it will go; whether incoming President Joe Biden can get any of his Cabinet nominees confirmed before or during the trial; and whether Republicans will work with Democrats on a COVID-19 relief package.
Schumer appears ready to push ahead: "We've got three things we've got to do quickly, impeachment, nomination, COVID," he said, Politico reported.
And in a speech Tuesday afternoon, McConnell said "marching orders from the American people are clear. We're to have a robust discussion and seek common ground."
Freshman Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who was among eight Republicans who objected to Biden's Electoral College win, said he is ready to move on.
"It's gonna be interesting," he said, Politico reported. "We'll just have to wait and see. People are excited about getting going. Everybody's kind of excited about putting it all behind us and going forward."
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