House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiHoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at Supreme Court McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) is closing in on a deal with some of her fiercest Democratic critics to support term limits for party leaders — a move that would likely pave the way for her to clinch the Speaker’s gavel in January.

The tentative agreement, which was first reported by Politico on Tuesday night, would involve Pelosi publicly supporting a caucus rule to impose a three-term limit on the top three members of Democratic leadership, according to sources familiar with the matter. The deal was about “98 percent” of the way done, one source added.

"There are various conversations going on about a path forward," an aide for Pelosi said. "Progress has been made and the conversations are constructive because all involved care about the institution of the House of Representatives."

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Under the proposal, if leaders want to run for a fourth term, they would need the support of two-thirds of the Democratic conference — a much higher threshold than the simple majority currently required in conference.

The term limits would also apply retroactively, meaning Pelosi, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton HoyerOVERNIGHT ENERGY: California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 | EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities | House energy package sparks criticism from left and right House energy package sparks criticism from left and right Hoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal MORE (D-Md.), and Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (S.C.) would all be term-limited after 2020, unless they ran for another leadership post or sought a fourth term.

Such a dramatic rule change would have to win approval from the conference, but under the tentative deal, Pelosi would agree to apply the term limits to herself regardless. That means the latest Pelosi can stay on as Speaker is 2022, if she is able to secure a fourth term.

The agreement is expected to win over at least five Democratic holdouts: Rep. Seth Moulton Seth MoultonThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Markey defeats Kennedy; Trump lauds America's enforcers in Wisconsin Moulton fends off primary challenges in Massachusetts Portland: The Pentagon should step up or pipe down MORE (Mass.), one of the ringleaders who organized a conference call Tuesday morning to talk about the tentative agreement; Rep. Linda Sánchez (Calif.), a member of leadership; Rep. Ed Perlmutter Edwin (Ed) George PerlmutterCongress needs to finalize space weather bill as solar storms pose heightened threat OVERNIGHT ENERGY: 20 states sue over Trump rule limiting states from blocking pipeline projects | House Democrats add 'forever chemicals' provisions to defense bill after spiking big amendment | Lawmakers seek extension for tribes to spend stimulus money House Democrats add some 'forever chemicals' provisions to defense bill after spiking major amendment MORE (Colo.); Rep. Bill Foster George (Bill) William Foster81 Nobel laureates endorse Biden's White House bid Trump payroll tax deferral finds few takers among businesses Former Obama Ebola czar Ron Klain says White House's bad decisions have put US behind many other nations on COVID-19; Fears of virus reemergence intensify MORE (Ill.); and Rep. Filemon Vela Filemon Bartolome VelaHispanic Caucus asks for Department of Labor meeting on COVID in meatpacking plants The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden builds big lead in battleground Florida Texas Democrat proposes COVID-19 victims' compensation fund MORE (Texas).

The detractors had been demanding generational change in the leadership ranks and insisted that Pelosi publicly commit to when she plans to step down as Speaker, but the longtime Democratic leader refused to “lame duck” herself by naming her end-date. The emerging deal appears to be a compromise between the two sides.

But there was already fierce pushback — including from Pelosi’s top deputies and some members of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus — to the idea of term limits as early reports about the deal started to surface on Monday and Tuesday.

“She’s not negotiating for me,” Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, said tersely during a press briefing in the Capitol.

Mike Lillis contributed.