A deal is imminent on a $150 billion plan to boost the lagging U.S. economy, two officials close to the negotiations said Thursday. A planned Thursday morning meeting between Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who is negotiating on President Bush's behalf -- and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is on hold now, the sources said, while leaders on Capitol Hill sell the plan to their respective caucuses.
An announcement on the plan could come Thursday afternoon, the two sources said.
"They're trying to put a bow on it" after progress on the deal was made Wednesday night, a senior Republican official said.
"They're very close to an agreement in principle," a senior Democratic aide said.
Democrats have dropped plans to increase food stamp aid and extend unemployment benefits while Republicans have agreed to allow tax rebates to go to people who don't pay income taxes, sources said.
Paulson ended a day of meetings with House leaders Wednesday night with signs of hope but no indication of a deal reached on the economic stimulus package.
"We're hopeful," House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Wednesday night.
Aides in both parties said Paulson has been working aggressively in recent days as he tries to make progress before House Republicans head out of Washington for a legislative retreat at the end of the week.
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