Senate moves interim spending bill forward

The U.S. Senate last weekend made progress toward ending the longest federal government shutdown in American history.

Democrats have for weeks refused to support any spending bill that does not extend soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act tax credits. But several Democratic senators changed their tune Sunday night as eight joined all but one Republican for a 60-40 vote on a stopgap measure that would keep federal money flowing through January. It also would reinstate federal workers laid off during the shutdown and ensure retroactive pay, as per The New York Times.

The bill just met the necessary quota of 60 affirmative votes to pass. More than a dozen previous votes had fallen short, though some had approval from a majority of lawmakers. GOP Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) was the lone Republi