Government shutdown updates: Senate vote marks step towards ending federal shutdown

Democrats huddled behind closed doors for nearly three hours Tuesday at an all-caucus lunch. They were tight lipped departing the meeting and reluctant to describe the nature of the ongoing discussion.

But there was a notable change in tone from Democratic leadership.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has defended the Democrats' position to vote against funding the government until Republicans engage in a negotiation over health care that the GOP have repeatedly said they wouldn't partake in unless the lights were turned back on.

But following the lengthy caucus meeting when Schumer was asked about where Democrats stand on a possible deal, he gave a different sort of answer.

"We are exploring all the options," he said.

Though Schumer once again asserted the dire situation Americans are facing with ballooning health care costs, his comment is indicative of what is an increasing sense among senators on Capitol Hill that momentum is picking up on bipartisan talks between rank-and-file members on a path out of the shutdown.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., has been involved in the discussions. Leaving the lunch today, said negotiations were "ongoing" and that there was a "variety" of options being discussed.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

All Senate Republicans have been invited to the White House for a breakfast on Wednesday morning, a White House official and two Congressional aides confirmed to ABC News.

The breakfast will come on the morning that the government shutdown, which will have stretched to 35 days, reaches the record for longest shutdown in U.S. history, topping the record set during President Donald Trump's first administration.

The breakfast is set for 8 a.m. News of the meeting was first reported by Punchbowl News.

Senate Republicans last lunched with Trump at the White House two weeks ago, on Oct. 21. They returned to the Capitol with swag bags.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott and Allison Pecorin

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is hopeful that Democrats will "come to their senses" this week and vote to reopen the government.

"Shutdowns are stupid," he told reporters Tuesday. "I've been here long enough to have been through a few of them. Nobody wins. And so, you know, I think the, obviously, the American people ought to hold us all accountable."

Thune said he still doesn't know what exactly Democrats want to reopen the government.

"We have accommodated a lot of their questions and concerns. They want to have a discussion about health care. We offered that up a long time ago," he said. "I've talked repeatedly about having a normal appropriations process where we put bills on the floor, open it up in the amendment process and allow people to have their voices heard and how we fund the government the old-fashioned way. But so, I'm still at a loss as to what it is exactly they're trying to get out of this."

Thune said there are ongoing discussions about what the new deadline will be for a short-term bill to fund the government.

"The Nov. 21 deadline no longer makes a lot of sense. So clearly it would have to be extended. And there is a conversation around what that next deadline would be," he said.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller

The House Freedom Caucus has endorsed a long-term continuing resolution that would go into November 2026 if not later -- setting up a clash with GOP leaders.

This comes as House and Senate leaders are looking at a new date for the continuing resolution in either December or more likely, January.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller