U.S. Senate may vote to end government shutdown

The United States Senate will be voting at noon local time on Monday to end the government shutdown.

According to media reports, senators will vote to end the shutdown with a short-term spending bill that would last three weeks.

Senate Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell attempted to schedule a vote late Sunday night that would end the shutdown, but Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer objected.

McConnell said Sunday that Congress must stop victimising the American people and get back to work.

Senator Schumer, on the other hand, said that the Democrats and the GOP are "yet to reach an agreement on a path forward."

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn said that he was optimistic that the shutdown could be ended with the Monday vote, CBS News reports.

House and Senate lawmakers met throughout the day Sunday to end the government shutdown as the impasse continued into the second day, with both chambers hoping to strike a deal on spending and immigration that would reopen federal agencies ahead of the work week.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said the lower chamber has agreed to accept a short-term deal that would fund the government through Feb. 8 if the Senate is able to pass such a bill.

Senate Democrats have so far not agreed to support a bill that makes no concessions on immigration.

President Donald Trump has appealed to the Senate to abolish the filibuster.