The U.S. Senate has advanced a deal to end the record-breaking 40-day government shutdown, marking the first step toward reopening following weeks of deadlock. A bloc of eight Democrats voted with Republicans in a 60-40 vote on a package that would temporarily fund the government until January 30, 2026, and fully fund several key agencies for the entire fiscal year. This is the first step toward reopening the government, though the measure still needs to clear a final Senate vote before heading to the House of Representatives.