JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: As President Bush renews his call for congressional action, some early signs of compromise are emerging in the debate over an economic stimulus package. CNN's congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl joins us now from the Capitol. Jonathan, bring us up to date on where all this stands.</s>JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, some very early signs. What is happening here is that after three weeks of total standstill on this question, congressional leaders will meet today for the first time on this issue in three weeks. This will be leaders of both the Senate and the House, Democrat and Republicans, trying to begin the process of coming to some kind of an agreement on economic stimulus. This breakthrough happened -- and it really is just a breakthrough in terms of starting talks, not in terms of the substance of a compromise -- but it started because Democrats in the Senate have dropped their insistence that an economic stimulus package include increased spending on homeland defense. Democrats still want to spend more on homeland defense, but they will fight for that in another bill. And by the way, that plan, that Democratic plan for homeland defense which was originally $20 billion, dropped to $15 billion, has now been cut in half to $7.5 billion. It will be fought for as part of the defense spending bill here. But movement, Judy, doesn't mean there is any new signs of agreement on the substance of the issue. As a matter of fact, just to take one example, Republicans are saying that an economic stimulus plan must include, must include some kind of rate reduction for income tax rates. They propose bringing the 28 percent bracket down to 25 percent. But Democrats say that is a complete non-starter. So they are starting the negotiations with each side having positions they say are not negotiable -- Judy.</s>WOODRUFF: All right. Jonathan Karl reporting from the Capitol this afternoon. Thanks, John.
Congress Meets on Economic Stimulus Package