Senate leader says potential shutdown deal coming together but no guarantees

Senate majority leader John Thune was speaking as he walked in to open the chamber for a rare Sunday session (J Scott Applewhite/AP)

The Republican leader in the US senate said a potential deal was “coming together” on the government shutdown but that there was no guarantee it would end an impasse now stretching to 40 days.

There have been few signs of progress over the weekend that could be crucial in a funding fight that has disrupted flights nationwide, threatened food assistance for millions of Americans and left federal workers without pay.