Senators have voted to advance a stopgap funding package to end the longest government shutdown in US history.

About eight Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the measure in a procedural vote on Sunday. If passed, the proposal would keep the US government open until January 30.

This information was revealed in a report by Qatar-based news outlet Al-Jazeera on Monday (November 10).

The bipartisan agreement proposes to allocate funds for food assistance programs and legislative branch activities for the coming year.

But it is not confirming the expansion of healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Instead, it has promised to hold a vote on the issue by December. Expanding healthcare subsidies has been a major priority for Democrats.

If the Senate formally passes the amended bill, it will now need to be approved by the House of Representatives. The bill will then go to President Donald Trump’s desk, where he will sign it into law.

US media reported that this process could take a few more days to complete.