U.S. Senate fails to approve spending bill as government shutdown begins

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday failed to approve a short-term spending bill, as the federal government entered its first shutdown in nearly seven years.

The Senate voted on the same two bills that it failed to pass Tuesday night, one from Democrats and the other from Republicans. The proposals from both sides failed to reach the necessary 60 votes. Republicans put forth their bill as a stopgap to fund the government through November 21. Democrats wanted to include an extension of health insurance benefits.