House and Senate appropriators have mapped out a plan for finishing work on all 11 appropriations bills before Thanksgiving, however there is some speculation that reconciliation will force GOP leaders to work slowly on appropriations to keep pressure on members to stay in town into December to complete other unfinished business. Congressional conferees are expected to wrap up work on the FY 2006 Agriculture spending bill this week, and if all goes according to plans, appropriators may complete negotiations on a $30.5 billion FY06 Energy and Water bill this week. The week of November 7 they are hoping to complete work on the Defense spending bill (including $50 billion for overseas military operations), as well as the Science-State-Justice-Commerce and Military Quality of Life measures. Their ambitious plan also includes passage of the Labor-HHS and Transportation-Treasury bills the week before Thanksgiving, as well as a short-term continuing resolution (the current CR expires Nov. 18) to give President Bush time to sign remaining spending bills into law. We'll see if they will actually be able to come to a consensus on reconciliation and tackle all of this approps work in the weeks ahead.