ILLINOIS (WCIA) -- After forty days of back and forth, lawmakers finally started to see a light at the end of the tunnel Sunday night.

“Mr. President, I am glad to be able to say that eight Democrats joined Republicans last night to take the first step to reopen the government in the very near future,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

The deal that got lawmakers over the shutdown hump was nearly identical to the one that started the stand off. The new deal will include protections for federal workers laid off and furloughed by the shutdown and back pay to make up for the last month of missing paychecks.

But, there were no provisions regarding healthcare or extending Affordable Care Act tax credits -- only a promise to vote in December.

That was enough for Illinois Senator Dick D

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