The first glimmers toward ending a near-record long federal government shutdown were seen in the U.S. Capitol on Monday, as leading Senate Republicans and Democrats talked of a possible "off-ramp" to the disruption.

The government shutdown is poised to become the longest ever this week as the impasse between Democrats and Republicans has dragged into a new month. Millions of people could lose food aid benefits, health care subsidies are set to expire and there are few real talks between the parties over how to end it.