Senate vote is first step toward ending longest

The U.S. Senate has taken the first step toward ending the longest-ever federal shutdown.

The Senate voted 60-40 late Sunday to move forward with a stopgap funding bill to reopen the government through Jan. 30.

Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, both Republicans of West Virginia, were yes votes.

“West Virginians don’t want political games,” Capito said in a Saturday floor speech, ahead of the vote.

“They want their government open, they want their benefits secure, and they want their leaders focused on results. Let’s reopen the government, let’s restore certainty, and then let’s do the hard work of reforming healthcare in a way that lowers costs and empowers patients.”

The final Senate passage vote is still to come. Then the House of Representatives would need to return to