The US Senate has overwhelmingly voted to reopen the government, ending a days-long standoff that forced hundreds of thousands of federal government workers to stay at home without pay.
The Senate voted 81-18 on Monday on a stopgap spending measure to fund the government through February 8.
Senate Democrats agreed with Republicans to end the government shutdown, after they received a promise from after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to move on immigration bills including support for undocumented immigrants brought to America as children.
“After several discussions, offers and counteroffers, the Republican leader and I have come to an arrangement. We will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating a global agreement,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, said ahead of the vote.
The short-term funding bill still needs to pass on a final up-or-down vote, but that is a formality now. The…