Senators plan to vote on advancing House-passed stopgap funding bill, suggesting end to 40-day shutdown in reach
The US Senate on Sunday moved toward a vote on reopening the federal government, suggesting that an end to the historic shutdown, now in its 40th day, is within reach.
Senators plan to vote on advancing a House-passed stopgap funding bill as early as Sunday night, with the understanding that it would be amended to combine a short-term funding measure with a package of three full-year appropriations bills, the Senate’s Republican majority leader, John Thune, said.
The amended package would still have to be passed by the House of Representatives and sent to Donald Trump for his signature, a process that could take several days.
Senate Democrats so far have resisted efforts to pass a funding measure, aiming to pressure Republicans to agree to healthcare fixes that would include extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Under the deal being discussed, the Senate would agree to hold a separate vote later on the subsidies.
