The Senate achieved a breakthrough Monday that likely means an end to the partial federal government shutdown that began at midnight Friday. Democrats joined in approving a Republican leadership plan to provide funding for government agencies through Feb. 8. Republicans hold 51 seats in the Senate so needed some Democratic votes to reach the 60-vote minimum to end debate. A partial shutdown of the government began after Democrats in the Senate rejected a GOP-authored bill because it did not include protections for the hundreds of thousands of young immigrants brought to the country illegally by their parents. The government has been operating since September on short-term budget deals because Congress has been unable to agree on a year-long spending plan. The Senate bill still has to be approved by the House to end the shutdown.
