A bipartisan agreement has been reached in the U.S. Senate to fund the federal government through January 30 and end the shutdown , CNN reports, citing knowledgeable sources.

Republicans have found the eight votes of their Democratic colleagues needed to reach the 60 votes needed to end the longest shutdown in US history, which has now lasted 40 days .

The Democrats secured the rehiring of federal employees laid off during the shutdown. The measure also establishes that employees on forced leave will receive retroactive pay and bars the Office of Management and Budget from implementing further mass layoffs until January 30.

But the decision on Obamacare, on extending health insurance subsidies—the issue that sparked the clash between Democrats and Republicans, leading to the shutdown—has been separated and will be decided in another vote in December. This is precisely what the Democrats are divided on.

The shutdown, the blocking of federal services due to lack of funding, is causing enormous disruption in several sectors : food assistance for thousands of people is at risk, thousands of flights are canceled and delayed every day, as Thanksgiving approaches and many Americans are on the move.

(Unioneonline)