The shutdown in the US may be coming to an end

During the procedural vote, senators supported the bill passed by the House of Representatives, which will include amendments that will allow the government to be funded until January 30 and will include a package of three bills on appropriations for the entire year, Reuters reports.

If the Senate ultimately passes the amended bill, it still must be approved by the House of Representatives and sent to President Donald Trump for his signature, which could take several days.

Under an agreement reached with several Democrats who defied their party leadership, Republicans agreed to a vote in December on extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. The subsidies, which help low-income Americans pay for private health insurance and expire at the end of the year, were a priority for Democrats during the funding battle.

The vote to pass the bill was 60-40, the minimum needed to overcome a Senate filibuster.

“It looks like we are very close to the end of the shutdown,” Trump said.

The bill prohibits federal agencies from laying off workers until January 30, which is a victory for federal unions and their allies. This will halt Trump's campaign to reduce the federal workforce.

When the Senate reconvenes on Monday, Republican leaders will attempt to reach a bipartisan agreement to bypass Senate rules and quickly pass the bill. Otherwise, the chamber will need most of next week to complete procedural steps before voting on final passage, which could extend the government shutdown until next weekend.

Photo: screenshot.