(MCT) — Gov. Pat Quinn said Thursday he remains confident lawmakers can reach a deal to reform the state's government employee pension system by his Jan. 9 deadline, despite the fact House and Senate leaders can't even agree on which days to come to work.

Legislators initially were scheduled to return to Springfield beginning Jan. 2 and hold session every day through Jan. 9, when a new crop of lawmakers is set to be sworn in and the reset button is hit on legislation. But both chambers have shortened their schedules, meaning it will be even more difficult to hammer out an agreement in the time frame set by Quinn.