The breakthrough came when eight Senate Democrats crossed the aisle and agreed to end the shutdown without a guaranteed extension of funding for the Affordable Care Act, also known as 'Obamacare.' Instead, both sides have agreed to hold a vote by mid-December on extending the expiring health care tax credits.

Those Democrats admitted that keeping the government shut down is not a winning formula.

One of them, Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said, "As of this morning, there was a zero chance of having work on the ACA. Now, there's a measurable chance. Will it be everything that everybody wanted? No, because we need 60 votes."

Another, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) said, "But here's the thing. We can open the government and we can still fight to address this looming health care crisis."

Their position angered other Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY), who voted against ending the shutdown. 

Schumer said, "I must vote no. This health care crisis is so urgent, so severe, so devastating for families back home that I cannot support this CR (Continuing Resolution) that fails to address the health care crisis."

However, it's average Americans who are being hurt by a shutdown that's now past 40 days. Federal workers are going without pay, nearly 42 million people who depend on SNAP benefits are in jeopardy as emergency backup funds run out, and airline passengers are experiencing major delays and cancellations.

One airline passenger said he had endured "a 17-hour layover, that's a whole day off my vacation."

On Sunday alone, US airlines canceled more than 2,700 flights, and there were 10,000 delays, mostly due to the Federal Aviation Administration's order to reduce air traffic because of fewer air traffic controllers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Sunday that with the holidays coming, the airlines might have to cancel one out of every five flights by Thanksgiving if the shutdown didn't end.

"As I look two weeks out as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, listen, I think what's going to happen is you're going to have air travel slow to a trickle," Duffy said.

With now little chance of victory on funding Obamacare, it could look to some as if the government shutdown accomplished nothing.

President Trump on Truth Social said funding for Obamacare should instead "BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE." 

The measure in the Senate would keep the government open through January 30th. However, it still faces a series of votes and could take several days to pass both the Senate and the House. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

I Nearly Died of Alcoholism; but I Found Purpose in Life Rescuing Street Dogs

Red States Eclipse Blue States in Education as ‘Ideological’ Policies Are Blamed: Report

As Abortion Drug Spreads, Concerns Grow over Contamination of Water Supply

White House First: Syrian Presidential Visit; Advocates for Syrian Christians Urge Trump to End Aid 'Chokehold'

Chuck Schumer Faces Democratic Fury After Government Shutdown Deal

8 Democrats Cave on Obamacare Funding - The Shutdown Is Over

'Absolutely Stunned': WWI Soldiers' Messages in a Bottle Found in Australia

Cory Asbury Gives Update on Alternative Super Bowl Halftime Show: ‘A Jesus Moment’

California Teachers Forced into LGBTQ ‘Loyalty Test’ that Labels Christian Beliefs as Bigotry

Israeli Airstrikes Target Hezbollah Rebuild as IDF Finds More Hamas-UNRWA Ties

John Kennedy Predicts How Many More Days Shutdown Will Drag On

Russiagate Subpoenas Sent Out by Grand Jury as Comey Prosecution Unearths New Revelations

Ex-Hamas Wife Whose Father Helped Create the Terrorist Group Meets Jesus in a Miraculous Dream

Gym in Los Angeles Revokes Membership of Woman Who Opposed Man in Women's Locker Room

American Consumers Footing the Bill: Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Trump's Tariff Power

These Two Officials Would Make an Unstoppable Presidential Ticket, Trump Says

High Stakes on the High Seas as US, China Test Limits of Military Power

FAA Slashes Flights at 40 Airports as Democrat Shutdown Grounds America

NYC's First Muslim, Socialist Mayor the Top Story as Democrats Sweep the Off-Term Elections

Dems Win in VA with First Female Governor, Jones Overcomes Murder Text Scandal to Win AG