House Republican leadership will gather the troops this evening to plot debt ceiling strategy, aides confirmed Monday morning.  

It’s still not clear, however, what that strategy will look like , with some GOP sweeteners off the table and others that could attract Republican support outside the realm of possibility given the Democratic Senate and White House.  

But the 5:30 p.m. meeting of the whole House Republican Conference in the basement of the Capitol highlights an increasing sense of urgency in reaching a deal to avoid default before the Feb. 27 deadline — the House is in recess starting Thursday and, along with the Senate, all through next week for the Presidents Day holiday.  

If members can agree on terms for raising the debt ceiling and leadership feels confident it has 218 votes to proceed on the House floor, the Monday meeting could set the gears in motion for a vote on Wednesday before the chamber breaks to allow House Democrats to hold their yearly retreat in Cambridge, Md.  

Matt Fuller contributed to this report.