U.S. Senate to vote on bill that would end federal shutdown

WASHINGTON >> The U.S. Senate today moved toward a vote on reopening the federal government amid optimism that an end to the historic shutdown, now in its 40th day, is within reach.

Senators expect a Sunday night vote on advancing a House-passed bill that will be amended to combine the short-term funding measure, which would fund the government through January 2026, with a package of three full-year appropriations bills, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

The amended package would still have to be passed by the House of Representatives and sent to President Donald Trump for his signature, a process that could take several days.

Senate Democrats so far have resisted efforts to pass a funding measure, aiming to pressure Republicans to agree to healthcare fixes that would include exte