Capitol agenda: Thune says shutdown talks are picking up

Nearly one month into the government shutdown, the vibes might finally be shifting.
A looming cliff of crucial deadlines, plus fresh outside pressure, is adding new urgency into bipartisan conversations that have been sputtering for weeks.
“I think they’ve picked up,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told POLITICO about the rank-and-file bipartisan talks…  » …