US Senate clears first hurdle to end longest government shutdown
Sunday’s vote marked a political breakthrough, but does not immediately put an end to the record-long US shutdown
The US Senate on Sunday moved forward on a measure aimed at reopening the federal government and ending a now 40-day shutdown that has sidelined federal workers, delayed food aid and snarled air travel.
In a procedural vote, senators advanced a House-passed bill that will be amended to fund the government until January 30 and include a package of three full-year appropriations bills.
If the Senate eventually passes the amended measure, it still must be approved by the House of Representatives and sent to US President Donald Trump for his signature, a process that could take several days.
Under a deal struck with a handful of Democrats who rebuffed their party’s leadership, Republicans agreed to a vote in December on extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The subsidies, which help lower-income Americans pay for private health insurance and were due to expire at the end of the year, have been a Democratic priority during the funding battle.
The vote to advance the bill passed by a 60-40 margin, the minimum needed to overcome a Senate filibuster.