The U.S. government shutdown creeps into its first weekend after the Senate on Friday failed for a fourth time to find enough bipartisan votes to advance bills to replenish dried-up agency funding.

There are now stronger signs the federal closure could be protracted. Speaker Mike Johnson even scrapped plans for House members – most of whom already have been away for two weeks -- to return next week to Washington for votes.

Plans can change. But Johnson had said earlier Friday – the third day of the shutdown – that the House will be back in session when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) "allows us to reopen the government." That was a reference to Senate Democrats not lending enough votes to help advance a House-passed bill to provide agency funding for another seven weeks.

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