The U.S. Senate on Sunday (November 9) moved forward on a measure aimed at reopening the federal government and ending a now 40-day shutdown that has sidelined federal workers, delayed food aid and snarled air travel.

The US Senate took a major step toward re-opening the government after a group of moderate Democrats broke with their party leaders and voted to support a deal to end the record-breaking shutdown.The Senate voted 60-40 on a procedural measure to advance the bill Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, the Senate could vote Sunday night on a test vote that would fund the government through Jan. 31 and end the 40-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Enough Democrats are expected to vote to pass the bill,

On Sunday, the U.S. Senate voted for the 15th time on an appropriations bill that would bring the government one step closer to ending the longest federal shutdown in the nation's history. The measure passed in a 60 to 40 vote Sunday night as eight Democrats joined Republicans to approve the bill.

Senate Republicans seek Democratic support to break filibuster on government funding bill. Bipartisan talks could lead to vote as early as tomorrow to reopen government.

Rand Paul (R-KY), who has been voting “no” on the GOP CR for weeks, was the sole Republican who broke from his caucus, doing so for a series of reasons unrelated to most Democrats’ objections to the bill.

The Senate was on track to approve a deal that could end the federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. People familiar with the situation told CNBC that enough Democratic senators had agreed to vote for the deal to clear a 60-vote minimum threshold.