The U.S. government is on the brink of the first federal government shutdown in almost seven years, as Senate Democrats voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government.

The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. It came as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands.

After Tuesday’s votes, it was increasingly unlikely that either side would concede before the 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Some government functions — like NASA’s space missions, President Donald Trump ’s immigration crackdown and certain public health work at FDA and the USDA — would continue during a s

See Full Page