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President Donald Trump has said an agreement to end the government shutdown could finally be in sight after 41 days of federal workers going unpaid and public services being cut to the bone. “We’ll never agree to give any substantial money, or any money, to prisoners, illegals who come into our country. And I think the Democrats understand that,” Trump said as he returned to the White House late Sunday. “And it looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending. You’ll know very soon.” The president was speaking after lawmakers in the Senate struck a deal that saw eight of the chamber’s moderate Democrats cross the aisle in a 60-40 vote that cleared its filibuster threshold. The development puts the resolution on schedule for a vote Monday or early this week. The agreement backed by the breakaway Democrats and their Republican counterparts would extend government funding through the end of January and allow further negotiations to take place on a range of issues, including subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans. However, the path ahead remains unclear given the lack of involvement from either the White House or the GOP leadership in the House of Representatives.
