US government shuts down as Congress fails to vote on budget

The US government has shut down after Congress failed to pass a key budgetary measure on time. 

Lawmakers hoped to approve a new spending bill before federal funding expired at midnight.

But Republican Senator Rand Paul ended hopes for a quick vote when he demanded a debate in the chamber on his amendment to maintain spending caps. 

In January, a similar failure to pass a bill led to a three-day government shutdown. 

The White House said it was preparing for a possible shutdown, as Senator Paul continued to delay the vote, last night. 

SOURCE: BBC NEWS
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