Breakthrough Talks Emerge to End Five-Week DHS Shutdown

• Senators express optimism about reaching an agreement to end the five-week partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
• Negotiator Senator Katie Britt believes a solution to the impasse is at hand after meeting with President Trump.
• Democrats initially dismissed Trump's demand to tie Homeland Security funding to the partisan SAVE America Act.
• Lawmakers feel urgency to resolve the shutdown due to lengthy delays at major US airports and unpaid TSA employees.
• Latest Republican offer reportedly would not fund ICE removal operations but would pay for the rest of the department, a "significant movement" according to Senator Peter Welch.