Democratic senator "There are enough Democratic votes to end the shutdown" - ABC

The shutdown is expected to be nearing its end. It was reported that a sufficient number of Democratic defections for an agreement to end the shutdown have been secured.

On the 9th (local time), ABC News reported that the Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote tonight on a budget bill that would extend the government funding deadline through January 31 next year. A Democratic senator said, "There are enough Democratic votes required for the bill to pass."

The bill includes this year's budgets for key departments such as the Department of Agriculture and support for welfare programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The extension of Obamacare subsidies was excluded from the agreement, but it was reported that a promise was accepted to hold a related bill vote before the end of the year.

Even if the bill passes the Senate, House approval procedures remain, and the House, which is in recess, must reconvene for the shutdown to officially end.