UPDATE - Trump says deal to end US government shutdown 'very close'

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By Michael Hernandez and Necva Tastan Sevinc

WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL (AA) - Congressional negotiators seeking to broker an end to the 40-day US government shutdown are nearing an agreement to reopen federal agencies, President Donald Trump said Sunday.

“It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending," Trump told reporters as he returned to the White House.

The upbeat assessment came as multiple reports suggested lawmakers reached a bipartisan agreement to fund the government through the end of January in exchange for a pledge from Senate Republicans to hold a vote on extending critical health care subsidies that are slated to expire Jan. 1.

The US Senate convened Sunday evening local time to vote on the short-term funding bill. If approved, the measure will advance to the House of Representatives before being sent to the White House for Trump’s signature, paving the way for the government’s reopening.

Democratic senators Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan and Angus King said they would support reopening the government if the Senate approves the three-year spending framework and extends remaining funds until the end of January.

Democrats have reportedly softened their stance on securing a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, a key sticking point in earlier talks, to facilitate the passage of the funding bill.

The party had sought to force an extension on Affordable Care Act tax credits as well as a reversal of cuts to Medicaid that were instituted under Trump's sweeping spending bill.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed Sunday night that Republicans had reached a compromise with moderate Democrats and called for an emergency vote to advance the approval process.

However, according to CNN, major sticking points remain, including a demand from Democrats to reinstate all federal workers Trump fired during the shutdown as he sought to ramp up pressure on Democrats to reach an agreement. Eight Democrats would need to join on to the stopgap measure for it to clear a key 60-vote hurdle.