Donald Trump has said he will not accept a short-term deal to reopen the government unless it includes a “large down payment” for his promised border wall.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders urged that Senate leaders were trying to break the deadlock, but that a resolution would only come if a payment was made.
It came as the longest ever partial Government shutdown showed no sign of abating as the Senate rejected plans to end the impasse during discussions on Thursday.
Both Republican and Democratic party proposals failed to garner support as the row over Mr Trump’s demands for wall funding continued.
The Senate first rejected a Republican plan reopening government through September and giving Mr Trump the $5.7 billion he is seeking for the project.
The 51-47 vote fell nine shy of the 60 votes needed to succeed.
Within minutes senators voted 52-44, eight votes short, for a Democratic alternative that sought to open padlocked agencies through February 8 with no wall money.
It was aimed at allowing time to seek agreement while implementing provisions for wages to be given to 800,000 government workers who are a day from going unpaid for a second consecutive pay period.
There were six Republican defectors on its party’s vote including Senator Mitt Romney, who has clashed periodically with President Trump.
Politicians said the results could be a reality check which could usher the start of talks to end the shutdown, which began on December 22.
Following the votes, it has been reported a bipartisan amendment to temporarily reopen shuttered federal agencies will be unveiled in the US Senate later on Thursday.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, detailing the proposal, said: “It will allow federal government employees ... to get back to work."
The measure would be to fund several agencies for three weeks, which would give congressional leaders and President Trump time to negotiate a deal on border security funding.
As the furore has developed each side has stuck ardently to stances which have blocked negotiations from even starting.
Mr Trump has refused to reopen government until Congress gives him the wall money while congressional Democrats have rejected bargaining until he reopens government.
Senator John Thune, a Republican, said Thursday's votes could "teach us that the leaders are going to have to get together and figure out how to resolve this.”
He added: "One way or another we've got to get out of this. This is no win for anybody."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross of a "let them eat cake kind of attitude".
This came after he said on television that he did not understand why unpaid civil servants were resorting to homeless shelters for food.
Ms Pelosi offered to meet the president "anytime".
He rejected this though, tweeting: "Without a Wall it all doesn't work.... We will not Cave!"
No meetings were scheduled.
The pair has crashed in recent days over the State of the Union address, which Ms Pelosi refused to give him permission to do in the House until the shutdown ended, a decision the President called a "disgrace".
He originally stated he would find an alternate venue for his speech but since stated he will wait until the shutdown ends.
