(CBS News) A top Democratic Senator says he believes the Senate will pass a continuing spending resolution this week that would prevent a government shutdown.
 
Lawmakers want to do it quickly, with a two week recess starting next week. If it's passed, the resolution would keep the government operating beyond March 27th. After that- comes debate over the 20-14 budget and the debt ceiling.

Despite several visits from President Obama to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers, both sides remain far apart.
 
"When you get down to the, the bottom line, the President believes that we have to have more taxes from the American people, we're not going to get very far,” said Republican House Speaker John Boehner (OH).

 "What the President is saying, our focus right now should be to get people back to work. Sustain the recovery and then reduce the deficit in a measured, balanced way," says Democratic Representative Chris Ban Hollen (MD).

Fresh off the Conservative Political Action Conference this weekend, the largest annual gathering of conservatives, the head of the Republican National Committee announced yesterday the party will dedicate ten million dollars to a program that will send hundreds of staffers into communities across the country to build relationships.
 
The RNC is also pushing for an earlier convention, and fewer primary debates as the party tries to recover from last year's loss.

Susan McGinnis, CBS News, Washington.