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.

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 by Democrats had also failed in the Senate in a 47-53 vote.

The b

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