A group of Democrats voted with Republicans to advance a measure to end a 40-day shutdown, the longest in US history.
The US Senate on Sunday night advanced a procedural measure aimed at ending a record-setting government shutdown.
The stopgap funding bill would allow the government to be funded until January 30.
The US government has been shut down since October 1 as Democrats refused to support a Republican-drafted spending bill they say will cut healthcare support for millions of people.
The shutdown has kept federal workers at home, while disrupting air travel, and food aid.
What does the bill call for?
The bill would restore funding for the SNAP food stamp program, which helps 42 million people pay for groceries.
It would also guarantee a vote on extending health care subsidies that are due to expire at the end of 2025. Thousands of federal workers fired by President Donald Trump over the past month would also get their jobs back.
With the support of some Democrats, the vote to advance the funding bill passed by a 60-40 margin. Republicans currently hold a majority in the Senate, with 53 of the upper chamber’s 100 seats.
Seven Democrats and one independent senator voted to advance the package.
“I have long said that to earn my vote, we need to be on a path toward fixing Republicans’ health care mess and to protect the federal workforce,” Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said in a statement.
What comes next?
The vote on Sunday clears the way for the Senate to pass the measure. It will then be sent to the Republican-controlled House of Representative for approval before landing on Trump’s desk for a signature.
The process could take several days, or longer, depending on the degree of opposition.
When the Senate reconvenes on Monday, Republicans said they would try to expedite the voting process to get the bill though procedural measures quickly, and end the shutdown by the weekend.
“It was a good vote tonight,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters after the Senate adjourned on Sunday.
“Hopefully, we’ll get an opportunity tomorrow to set up the next votes. Of course, that’s going to take some cooperation and consent.”
Edited by: Wesley Rahn
DW News
