THE SENATE moved Congress closer toward ending shutdown (Shutterstock photo).

The government shutdown – longest in U.S. history – is one step closer to being over as the Senate voted 60-40 on Monday to approve the bill to provide financing to reopen most federal agencies.

Next will be a vote in the House of Representatives and then – if approved there – the signature of the president, according to the Associated Press.

The end of the 41-day deadlock comes with a split among Democrats, whose united resistance finally cracked over concerns about federal food assistance and the many federal workers – including air traffic controllers – still on the job but without pay.

Sixty votes were needed to break the deadlock and five Senate Democrats made the switch.

Same-sex marriage safe for now

The 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage is safe for a while, as the high court declined on Monday to take up the case of a Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to those couples.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

According to The New York Times, the non-action by the court was considered a victory for LGBTQ persons. Since the court decided Obergefell vs. Hodges, the number of same-sex couples had doubled to 774,000.

While the national standard is intact, legislators in several “red” states are considering resolutions asking the court to overturn Obergefell.

A 2024 Gallup survey found that 66 percent of those questioned approved of marriage between same-sex couples, but the support among Republicans has dropped from 55 percent in 2022 to 46 percent.

Weather: Cooler days coming

That brief stretch of warm weather is cooling off a bit for our West Orange County cities. Tuesday is forecast for a high of 71 with an overnight low of 59 with cloudy skies. Wednesday will be similar at 70 (60) and clouds. There may be some rain in the evening on Thursday with temps of 69 (56). Showers are forecast for Friday with a high of 66 and a low of 53.