U.S. Senate Majority Leader Thune: Positive progress in talks to end the U.S. government shutdown

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Thune said there has been positive progress in bipartisan talks in the Senate to end the federal government shutdown, as lawmakers work to reach an agreement to temporarily reopen the government and introduce three longer-term appropriations bills for some agencies. Lawmakers had hoped to release the full text of three full-year fiscal year 2026 appropriations measures on Saturday, including agriculture, food and nutrition programs, as well as military construction programs, veterans programs and funding for congressional operations, according to Republican senators. The proposal would fund those actions through Sept. 30, 2026. But at the end of the workday this week, there was no bipartisan agreement on reopening the government and no full-year appropriations bill to be released to the public. The Senate will try to negotiate again in a rare Sunday session.