Senate Majority Leader John Thune showed uncharacteristic fury on the Senate floor today, scorching Democrats for refusing to reopen the government.

• "[W]e tried to do that 13 times! You voted 'no' 13 times," Thune said in response to Sen. Ben Ray Luján's (D-N.M.) request for a vote on SNAP benefits.
• "You all just figured out, 29 days in, that, oh, there might be some consequences," Thune added.

Why it matters: Despite Thune's anger, there are signs of a potential breakthrough.

• Thune told reporters earlier today that conversations with Democrats had "ticked up significantly."
• It "will happen pretty soon," Thune said after being asked when he would personally engage with key Democrats.

🚨 Zoom in: Appropriators are quietly hopeful their progress on full-year spending bills could help, along with a larger agreement to end the shutdown.

• Some are eyeing a second combined package of full spending bills, multiple sources told us.
• "There are more senators, both Republicans and Democrats, talking to each other about what it would take. ... What does the path forward look like?" Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a key moderate, said today.
• Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said there is "an increasing realization on the part of Democrats that if they want to retain the ability to influence spending decisions, it means we have to pass appropriations."

Between the lines: When asked about his visible frustration, Thune told reporters, "Sorry, I channel a little bit of anger there, but it's a high level of frustration."

• He then accused Democrats of "trying to buy time," saying "they realize that this is a losing argument."
• "It's going to get ugly fast," Thune said. "And so they're looking for an off-ramp. And the problem is that just extends the shutdown."

— Stef Kight and Stephen Neukam

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also showed emotion this morning, raising his voice at reporters about the White House's decision not to tap a contingency fund to keep SNAP running.

• "It is not a dispute, it is fact they can use [the contingency fund] and the Republicans say it," Schumer said.

Schumer targeted Speaker Mike Johnson, saying he "just lies."

• "He lied about immigration, on the undocumented, he's lying about this. He just outright lies," Schumer said.

The other side: Two weeks ago, Johnson said Schumer was lying about the government shutdown.

• "Chuck Schumer is incapable of telling the truth right now," Johnson said on Fox News.

House and Senate Republicans are coalescing around a continuing resolution that would run well into January.

Why it matters: It's a frank acknowledgment that appropriators need more time. But pushing a spending stopgap into next year could be a tricky vote for both parties.

• For Republicans: In September, Johnson was seen handing out pinkie promises on the House floor to win over reluctant members. The House has been out of session since.
• For Democrats: Absent a deal on health care, a January CR would take away the pre-holiday leverage that could bring Republicans to the table on expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits. Premiums will spike for millions next year without an extension.

The intrigue: Johnson has essentially ceded his chamber's input on the next funding deadline to the Senate.

• Johnson told reporters today it would be a "futile exercise" to bring the House back to vote on a new CR before the Senate moves on government funding.

What they're saying: "I don't think anyone wants to back up against a Christmas holiday," a House Republican familiar with leadership conversations told us.

• "If we did a shorter-term CR, it would be end of January, February-ish," the House Republican said.
• House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told NOTUS his preference would be a CR until mid-January.
• "Democrats love the Christmas Eve omnibus bad deal. We're not going to do that," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told reporters last week.

— Kate Santaliz and Hans Nichols