Senate moves closer to ending record US shutdown

THE US Senate took a major step toward ending the longest government shutdown in American history when it cleared the way for a formal debate on a motion to resume funding to federal agencies.

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The development represents significant progress toward ending a government shutdown that has dragged on for over 40 days, halted funding to federal programs and disrupted air travel and other essential industries. The breakthrough late on Sunday came after Republican and Democratic lawmakers reached a stopgap agreement to fund the government through January, after wrangling over healthcare subsidies, food benefits and Trump’s firings of federal employees.