The US Senate has failed to advance a short-term measure to fund the federal government beyond Friday, the end of the fiscal year.
The measure would have funded government operations through to December 9, but lawmakers failed to clear a 60-vote hurdle to end debate as Democrats chose not to support the bill because it did not include money to address contaminated water in Flint, Michigan.
"We're asking our Republican colleagues to come back to the negotiating table and figure out a way to provide funding to address the water crisis in Flint," Senator Chuck Schumer said, noting if the money is included in the measure it will easily pass the Senate.
The move opens up the possibility that the government could face a damaging shutdown if congress does not approve money to keep it running beyond September 30, the end of the government's budget year.
A shutdown would prove politically damaging to lawmakers ahead of elections on November 8. A government shutdown in 2013 closed operations for 17 days, furloughing hundreds of thousands of government employees, shuttering services and proving politically damaging to Republicans in congress.
