Two competing measures aimed at ending the partial US government shutdown have been defeated in the US Senate.
A bill backed by Republican President Donald Trump to end the shutdown by funding the wall he wants to build on the US-Mexico border and a separate bill supported by Democrats to reopen shuttered agencies without such funding did not get the votes required to advance in the 100-member chamber.
Immediately following the failed effort, Democratic and Republican senators spoke on the Senate floor and urged quick passage of a three-week, stopgap funding bill to end the partial government shutdown for now.
Some Democrats pledged to support more border security funding than was included in the Democrats’ bill that was blocked in the Senate on Thursday.
But the White House issued a warning. A three-week funding bill would "only work if there is a large down payment on the wall," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said a measure to temporarily reopen shuttered federal agencies would be unveiled on Thursday to end the 34-day shutdown, which was triggered by President Trump's demand for money to fund a wall.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he had spoken to the President Trump about a three-week funding bill.
"All of us believe if we have three weeks with the government open that we could find a way forward to produce a bill that he would sign, that would be good for everybody in the country," Senator Graham said.
"To my Democratic friends, money for a barrier is required to get this deal done."
President Trump has touted Republican unity during what is the longest government shutdown in US history.
But in a sign of cracks in that resolve, or a desire for compromise, six Republican senators voted with Democrats on their measure to temporarily reopen government agencies without money for the border wall.
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, told reporters earlier that she was willing to meet with President Trump to discuss the shutdown.
Her comments came one day after she essentially withdrew an invitation for the president to give his State of the Union in the House chamber next Tuesday, saying that would not happen until the shutdown ended.
President Trump, who had planned to come despite the shutdown and considered giving the speech at another venue, conceded on Wednesday and said he would deliver the speech in the House in the "near future."
