Vote to end US government shutdown fails in Senate | World News

A sign announces that the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is closed, on the first day of a partial government shutdown. (Photo: AP)

A Republican bill to fund the government mostly at current levels has failed to pass the Senate Wednesday as the US government shutdown continued. This was the second time in as many days a bill to end the government shutdown failed in the Senate.

Wednesday’s bill fell along a similar vote pattern as Tuesday night, as most Democrats continued to hold out and demand that Congress take up health care benefits.
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The US Capitol is seen at sunrise as cars drive on Pennsylvania Avenue. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

The measure was defeated in a 55-45 vote on a procedural motion that required 60 votes for approval.

Earlier, a procedural motion to advance the short-term government funding bill offered Democrats had also failed in the Senate in a 47-53 vote.

The bill, which failed to move forward previously, also required 60 votes to pass. All Democrats voted in favour of the measure and all Republicans voted against it.

A deal to end the first US Government shutdown since 2018 is still a long way off from being struck. Any negotiation requires ironing out details, and crucially, it would require sign-off from House Republican leadership and President Donald Trump.