WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In a major breakthrough to pave the way for ending the U.S. federal government's shutdown, the Senate reached an agreement on the spending bill Sunday.
After a weekend of negotiations in Washington, a minority bloc of seven centrist Democrat Senators and independent Angus King joined with their Republican counterparts to vote in support of the deal.
The Bill needed 60 votes to pass in the Republican-controlled Senate, where they have only 53 seats.
With the help of Democrat lawmakers who broke with party leadership, the Senate voted to move forward with the funding bill by 60-40.
The proposal would include a new stopgap measure to extend government funding and a larger package to finance key agencies.
The Republicans reportedly did not give any assurance to extend the health care subsidies, but offered to hold a vote on extending certain healthcare subsidies later, and to reinstate federal workers who lost their job during the shutdown.
According to CNN, Majority Leader John Thune said that he will hold a vote on a measure to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits by mid-December.
Sunday's vote marks some progress towards ending the shutdown, but still faces a few hurdles, including a final passage vote by the Senate and its approval by the House before President Donald Trump signing the Bill into law.
The shutdown, which entered its 41st day on Monday, triggered disruption in several government services nation-wide, the loss of federal food aid, delayed paychecks, and delays and cancellations of flights.
The U.S. federal government was forced to the longest shut down in history on October 1 after the Senate failed to reach an agreement on the spending bill.
The Democrats pressed for major concessions on Obamacare subsidies, mainly ensuring subsidies for health insurance for the low-income group, and reversing the Trump administration's cuts to Medicaid, in return for their support to pass the funding bill.
Affordable Care Act benefits, also known as Obamacare, will expire within months.
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