WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Amid a government shutdown, the Senate voted Monday to move forward on a short-term spending bill to re-open the government.
The Senate voted 81 to 18 in favor of limiting debate on the bill, which would fund the government through February 8th.
Republican Senators Rand Paul, R-Ken., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, voted against the motion along with 15 Democratic Senators and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Democrats agreed to vote to advance the short-term spending bill after Republican leaders promised to hold a vote on legislation providing protections for young illegal immigrants brought to the country as children.
Ahead of the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., argued that GOP leaders would breach the trust of their colleagues and the American people if they do not follow through on their pledge to vote on immigration reform.
The government shutdown came after a spending bill approved by House Republicans failed to clear a procedural hurdle in the Senate on a largely party line vote of 50 to 49 last Friday.
The bill would have funded the government through February 16th, reauthorized the popular Children's Health Insurance program for six years and delayed some Obamacare taxes.
Both sides blamed each other for the government shutdown, which marked the first official shutdown since October of 2013.
If the Senate votes in favor of final approval, the bill will head to the Republican-controlled House, which is expected to approve the legislation.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX