The U.S. Senate on Sunday night voted to advance a proposal that, if passed by Congress, would fund the federal government through January, marking an important step toward ending the nation's longest shutdown.

The Senate may be close to an agreement to fund the government and end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Republicans are working with Democrats to potentially reopen the government into January. Democrats have voted 14 times not to reopen thus far as they demand extension of…