WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says GOP lawmakers are working on trying to come up with a bipartisan solution to the budget stalemate.

Returning from a two-hour meeting at the White House, McConnell told reporters Friday that the session with President Barack Obama was useful and he hoped that Senate Republicans could find a way out of the impasse.

Senate Republicans have had several private discussions on how to end the partial government shutdown, now in its 11th day, and avert a catastrophic economic default.

Obama held discussions with Senate Republicans at the White House Friday morning.