The US senators on Tuesday failed to pass a last-minute funding bill to avert a government shutdown.

BBC quoted Republican Leader John Thune as saying that after the bill failed to pass, expressing disappointment – but also optimism that an agreement could be made to jumpstart government funding.

“Democrats may have chosen to shut down the government tonight, but we can reopen it tomorrow," he said.

He further said: “All it takes is a handful of Democrats to join Republicans to pass the clean, nonpartisan funding bill that’s in front of us. And I hope, I really hope, that some of them will join us to reopen the government resume bipartisan appropriations work, and get back to the business of the American people."

The Democrats in Congress had been demanding the extension of healthcare

See Full Page