By Richard Cowan and Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Bipartisan talks in the U.S. Senate to end the federal shutdown have taken a positive turn, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Saturday,

The rare weekend session underscores the pressure both parties are facing to reopen the government, but both sides showed little sign of budging from their demands.

As the government shutdown hits Day 38, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Democrats offered a plan that would reopen the government. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

Taking to Truth Social on Friday afternoon, Trump wrote, "The United States Senate should not leave town until they have a Deal to end the Democrat Shutdown. If they can’t reach a Deal, the Republicans should terminate the Filibuster, IMMEDIATELY, and take care of our Great American Workers!"

By David Morgan, Bo Erickson, Nolan D. McCaskill and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Senate on Friday rejected legislation that would resume paychecks for hundreds of thousands of federal workers during the longest shutdown in U.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ​-‌A Republican bill ‌in the U.S. ⁠Senate ‌to pay federal ‍government workers and military servicemembers ​during ‌the ongoing government shutdown was falling short ⁠on Friday ​of ​the votes needed to ‍advance,⁠ as voting continued.

Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr has officially filed to run for U.S. Senate. The Republican submitted his candidacy paperwork Friday morning at the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office, making his Senate campaign for 2026 formally underway.

Senate Democrats moved to center stage in the U.S. government shutdown drama on Thursday, as they met behind closed doors to consider what the chamber's top Republican said was an offer to reopen shuttered federal agencies as early as this weekend.