WATCH LIVE: The Senate meets in session over the weekend as the government shutdown reaches its 40th day

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government shutdown extended into its 40th day Sunday even as senators held a weekend session hoping to find an end to the impasse that has disrupted flights across the country, threatened food aid to millions of Americans and left federal employees without pay.

The Senate is expected to reconvene at 1:30 p.m. ET. Watch it live in the video player above.

The Senate showed few signs of progress over the weekend that could prove crucial in the shutdown battle. Republican leaders hope to hold votes on bills that would reopen the government in January while also approving full-year funding for several parts of the government. The necessary Democratic support for this effort was by no means guaranteed.

“We are only a few votes away” from passing legislation to reopen the government, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Saturday.

Democratic leaders are pushing hard to extend subsidies to health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. Republicans have rejected that offer, but have signaled their openness to a proposal emerging from a small group of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a vote later on Obamacare subsidies that would make coverage more affordable.

Read more: 4 Tips for Navigating Higher ACA Health Care Premiums

For those enrolled in health exchanges under this law, premiums are expected to double on average next year if Congress allows the enhanced subsidy to end.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said pledging a vote on extending support would be a “wasted gesture” unless “you have a commitment from the speaker of the House that he will support it and that the president of the United States will sign it.”

President Donald Trump has made clear that he is unlikely to make concessions anytime soon. On Sunday, he pressed Republicans again to repeal Senate rules that prevent the chamber from advancing most legislation unless there is support from 60 senators. “Be the smart party,” he said in a social media post.

The moderates continue to negotiate

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and others have discussed bills that would pay for parts of the government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among others — and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The agreement will only come with the promise of a future vote on health care.

It was not clear whether enough Democrats would support such a plan. Even with an agreement, Trump seems unlikely to support extending health benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, said he would not commit to a health vote.

Republican leaders in the Senate need only five additional votes to fund the government, and the group participating in the talks ranged from 10 to 12 Democratic senators.

Some Republicans have said they are open to extending tax credits in the era of COVID-19, when premiums could rise dramatically for millions of people, but they want new restrictions on who can get the benefits. They lined up Saturday to head to the Senate floor and argue that financial support for the plans should be directed through individuals.

“We will replace this broken system with something better for the consumer,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-C.

“Worst health care for the highest price,” Trump called it in a post on Sunday.

Republicans are eyeing a new package of bills

Trump wants Republicans to quickly end the shutdown and eliminate the filibuster so they can bypass Democrats entirely. Vice President J.D. Vance, a former state senator from Ohio, said Republicans who want to keep the filibuster “are wrong.”

But Republicans rejected Trump’s call, with Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, telling NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that because of the filibuster, “the Senate is the only place in our government where both sides have to talk to each other. And that’s a good thing for America.”

Read more: What is the filibuster and why does Trump want to get rid of it during the shutdown?

Thune is looking forward to a bipartisan package that mirrors the proposal drawn up by moderate Democrats. What Thune, who has refused to negotiate, might promise on health care is unknown.

The package would replace House-passed legislation that Democrats have rejected 14 times since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. The current bill would extend government funding until November 21 only.

A choice for Democrats

A test vote on the new legislation could be held in the next few days if Thune decides to move forward.

Democrats will then have a critical choice: continue to fight for a real deal on extending subsidies that expire in January, while prolonging the pain of the shutdown? Or vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise a final vote on health care, but not a guaranteed outcome.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says Republicans must accept a one-year extension of the benefits before negotiating the future of the tax breaks.

“Doing nothing is negligence because people will go bankrupt, people will lose insurance, people will get sick,” Schumer said in a speech Saturday. “This is what will happen if this Congress fails to act.”

Associated Press writers Seung-Min Kim, Joey Cappelletti, Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.