Deal to avert ‘fiscal cliff’ proves elusive

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid D-Nev. retreats closed-door meeting with fellow Democrats as he Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., retreats to a closed-door meeting with fellow Democrats as he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., work to negotiate a legislative path to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff," at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. Senate and House leaders rushed to assemble a last-ditch agreement to stave off middle-class tax increases and possibly delay steep spending cuts in an urgent attempt to find common ground after weeks of gridlock. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Kentucky center arrives his office Capitol as he Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Nevedtry negotiate

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, center, arrives at his office in the Capitol as he and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Neveda, try to negotiate a legislative solution to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Clouds roil over White House Washingtmorning Sunday Dec. 30 2012 as Washingthas less than 48 hours avert fiscal cliff series

Clouds roil over the White House in Washington on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, as Washington has less than 48 hours to avert the fiscal cliff, a series of tax increases and spending cuts set to take hold on Jan. 1. Republican and Democratic negotiators in the Senate were hoping to reach a deal to avoid going over the cliff on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Kentucky arrives his office Capitol as he Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Nevedtry negotiate legislative

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, arrives at his office in the Capitol as he and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Neveda try to negotiate a legislative solution to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff," in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON — The deal in Congress to avert the “fiscal cliff” was proving elusive Sunday as a deadline to avert tax hikes on virtually every American worker and block sweeping spending cuts set to strike the Defense Department and other federal agencies grew perilously near. …