President Donald Trump has said he will sign legislation to reopen US government departments for three weeks.
The deal will keep the government open at least until February 15 while negotiations continue over Mr Trump’s demands for money to build his long-promised wall at the US-Mexico border.
Mr Trump announced the agreement to break the 35-day impasse as intensifying delays at the nation’s airports and widespread disruptions brought new urgency to efforts to resolve the stand-off.
Speaking from the White House Rose Garden, he said: “I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government.”
After saying for weeks that he would not reopen the government without border wall money, Mr Trump said he would soon sign a bill to re-open the government until February 15 without additional money for his signature campaign promise.
He said that a bipartisan committee of members of Congress would be formed to consider border spending before the new deadline.
“They are willing to put partisanship aside, I think, and put the security of the American people first,” Mr Trump said. He asserted that “barrier or walls will be an important part of the solution”.
But he hinted that he was still considering taking unilateral action if efforts to come up with money for his wall fail. “I have a very powerful alternative, but I didn’t want to use it at this time,” he said.
Overnight and into Friday, at least five Republican senators had reportedly been calling Mr Trump, urging him to reopen the government and have the Senate consider his request for border wall money through regular legislation.
The breakthrough came as LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey both experienced at least 90-minute delays in take-offs due to the shutdown.
And the world’s busiest airport — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — was experiencing long security wait times, a warning sign the week before it expects 150,000 out-of-town visitors for the Super Bowl.
Mr Trump and the Democrats in Congress had remained at odds over his demand that any compromise include money for his coveted border wall.
The longest shutdown in American history will finally end. The president has agreed to our request to open the government then debate border security. This is great news for 800,000 federal workers & millions of Americans who depend on government services. https://t.co/lXuepIC2kJ
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 25, 2019
The stand-off became so severe that, as the Senate opened with prayer, Chaplain Barry Black called on high powers in the “hour of national turmoil” to help senators do “what is right”.
Senators were talking with increased urgency after Thursday’s defeat of competing proposals from Mr Trump and the Democrats. The bipartisan talks provided a glimmer of hope that some agreement could be reached to halt the longest-ever closure of federal agencies, at least temporarily.
“There are discussions on the Senate side,” House speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Friday morning as she entered the capital.
How pathetic. On Dec. 19, the Senate unanimously passed essentially the same legislation that we will vote on today. We are back to exactly where we started. Thank you, Mr. President, for shutting down the government and holding 800,000 federal employees hostage. All for nothing!
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 25, 2019
Asked about Mr Trump’s demands for border security measures as part of a bill temporarily reopening government, Ms Pelosi said: “One step at a time.”
Ms Pelosi was referring to a meeting on Thursday between Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and minority leader Chuck Schumer, to explore next steps for solving the vitriolic stalemate.
Pressure has been building among both parties to reopen agencies immediately and pay hundreds of thousands of beleaguered federal workers.
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