The government shutdown is now on Day 39 as senators return to Capitol Hill for a rare Saturday session. Follow live updates here.

S.D., wanted to keep lawmakers in town until the shutdown ended. While there was a flurry of behind-the-scenes activity, no path forward has materialized yet.

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!"

Senate Republicans rejected an offer from Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a one-year extension of health care tax credits.

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.S. history, as Democrats and Republicans remained at odds over how to reopen ‌the government.

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.)

U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr will testify on December 17 before the Senate Commerce Committee after he faced bipartisan criticism for pressuring broadcasters to take ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel off air.

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.

This year's election year battle for control of the U.S. Senate is intensifying, as voter disaffection for President Donald Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic weighs on a growing number of Senate races in the South and Midwest.