Senate could take test vote on new spending bill as early as Sunday afternoon

But things will begin moving once text is posted tonight or tomorrow morning. 

This appears to be a pure spending bill with nothing separate for renewing Obamacare subsidies. 

Fox is told this is the universe of potential senators who caucus with the Democrats to watch as possible yeas to break a filibuster:

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill; and senators Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.; John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Angus King, I-Maine; and Patty Murray, D-Wash. Murray is the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Fox is told that Murray scored some significant language in the tenuous spending pact. 

This is a fragile coalition and could fall apart. 

By the book, the Senate is afforded significant debate time once it breaks a filibuster. Fox is told that progressives, steamed that they scored nothing on health care and burned by their own party, could try to stretch things out as much as possible. That could mean the Senate doesn't vote until Tuesday or beyond on final passage. 

But, by the same token, Democrats are only preventing SNAP benefits from going out. So, they could agree to an expedited process. 

The House is on 48 hours notice to return. So, the House may not return until midweek to align with the Senate and reopen the government. But it's likely the House could be recalled as soon as possible. 

Here's another question:

Would the House swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., before or after the vote? Democrats will bray if Johnson fails to swear in Grijalva before a possible House vote.

And, as we say, it's always about the math. 

Swearing in Grijalva puts the House at 433 members with two vacancies. The breakdown is 219 Republicans to 214 Democrats. That means the GOP can only lose two votes before needing help from the Democrats. 

Moreover, consider the emerging chasm between House and Senate Democrats once this is over.