The Senate, late Sunday night, approved the first stage of an agreement to end the U.S. government shutdown, which began on October 1. The U.S. Senate took the first step toward ending the government shutdown after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guarantee to extend healthcare subsidies, angering many in their caucus who said Americans want them to keep fighting. In an initial procedural vote in a series of required procedural maneuvers, the Senate voted 60-40 to move toward passing a bipartisan spending bill to fund the government and to hold a subsequent vote on extending the Affordable Care Act's tax exemptions, which expire on January 1. Final approval could take several days if Democrats object and delay the process. The deal does not guarantee an extension of healthcare subsidies, as Democrats had demanded for nearly six weeks. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against proceeding with the package, along with all of his Democratic colleagues except eight. A group of three moderate Democratic senators — Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and Independent Senator Angus King of Maine — broke the six-week deadlock on Sunday by agreeing to vote to advance three annual spending bills from both parties and to extend funding for the rest of the government until late January in exchange for a vote in mid-December on extending the healthcare tax subsidies. The deal also includes reversing the mass furloughs of federal employees by the Trump administration since the shutdown began on October 1, and will ensure that federal employees receive their back pay. Senate Majority Leader John Thune quickly endorsed the deal and called for an immediate vote to begin the approval process as the shutdown continued to disrupt air travel across the country, threaten food assistance for millions of Americans, and leave federal employees without pay. Thune said, "It's time to act now." Upon returning to the White House late Sunday night after attending an American football game, President Donald Trump did not say whether he supported the deal. But he said, "It looks like we're getting close to ending the shutdown."
