The United States Senate has approved a landmark deal aimed at ending the longest government shutdown in the country's history, paving the way for the resumption of federal functions after more than 40 days of gridlock.
After a weekend of intense negotiations in Washington, some Democrats joined Republicans in voting in favor of the compromise deal. The Senate vote marks the first procedural step toward final approval of the temporary funding plan for the government, which has been without funds since October 1, according to BBC reports.
However, the deal still needs to pass several more stages — including a vote in the House of Representatives — before federal workers and public services can fully resume operations. Nevertheless, today's development is seen as a clear signal of progress after weeks of political deadlock.
The government shutdown has affected millions of American citizens: about 1.4 million federal employees have been furloughed or working without pay, while many essential services — including air travel control and the distribution of food benefits to about 41 million low-income Americans — have been disrupted.
If the agreement is also approved by the House of Representatives and signed by the president, the US government is expected to resume full operation within the next few days, ending the longest bureaucratic crisis in the country's history.
