Senate Approves Budget Deal

Hallelujah! The Senate on Wednesday approved a deal to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling. The bill passed with a vote of 81 to 18 and will now head to the House, where Speaker John Boehner is ready to push it forward. There's no indication at this point that Republicans will block it—even the obstructionist Sen. Ted Cruz. The agreement funds the government through January 15, and raises the debt ceiling through February 7. There are also reports that the deal will provide back pay for federal workers who were furloughed during the shutdown. A separate Senate motion is in the works to commit the two chambers to working on long-term revenue deal.