Despite Senator Lindsey Graham's assertions that a legislative deal can't materialize this year, some negotiators have made significant progress after a series of intensive talks. Figures like Senator Chris Murphy and Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who have been at the forefront of the negotiation process, remind everyone that the task is complicated and takes time.
While it's true that the negotiators are making headway, the complexity of the task means that drafting a firm legislative text, communicating that with fellow lawmakers, and getting it to the voting stage by week's end is quite ambitious. Some even say that such a schedule is not realistic. Optimism remains as the negotiators plan on returning to the table to continue discussions.
