What happened

The Senate Sunday night cleared a key first hurdle to ending the record government shutdown, now in its 41st day. Eight Democrats voted with 52 Republicans to proceed with legislation that would fund Congress and a handful of agencies and programs for the full fiscal year and finance the rest of the government through Jan. 30. In return, the Democrats secured a promise for a mid-December vote on legislation of their choosing to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, plus a temporary ban on federal layoffs, a reversal of the Trump administration’s shutdown firings and back pay for all federal workers.

Who said what

“After 40 long days , I’m hopeful we can bring this shutdown to an end,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said shortly before yesterday’s vot

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