What time is the government shutdown Senate vote today? Here's everything you need to know

The US government shutdown enters day 14 as the Senate meets Tuesday to vote on ending it. The vote, starting at 5:30 may take hours to resolve.

With the United States government shutdown entering its 14th day on Tuesday, a chance for a possible reprieve could come with the Senate vote on the shutdown on Tuesday evening. The US Senate convened at 3 p.m. today and is expected to again vote on the shutdown.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks to reporters outside of his office in the U.S. Capitol Building on October 14.(Getty Images via AFP)

According to the official schedule released by the Senate ahead of today's session, the vote is expected to take place approximately around 5:30 p.m. at the end of today's discussion. However, the exact time when the voting starts may vary, depending on how long the discussions last. Plus, voting could go on for multiple rounds, meaning a resolution on the shutdown vote could take up to a few hours.

Could The Shutdown Be Resolved In Today's Vote?

The Republican and the Democratic senators are attempting to resolve the government shutdown again today after severe previous failed attempts. While the Republicans try to push through with the budget bill to keep the government funded, the Democrats want a reversal of the cuts to healthcare that the bill proposes. 60 votes are needed for the bill to keep the government funded to pass.

Since September 30, when the Senate failed to pass the GOP funding bill, the Senate has attempted at least eight times to pass it. However, no party has been able to gather the required 60 votes to pass the proposal. As a result, since there has been no change in the stance of either side, the stalemate is likely to continue.

Key Disagreement Between GOP and the Dems: Explained

The main disagreement that the GOP and the Democrats have failed to iron out, so far, concerns insurance buyers who avail themselves of the tax breaks in the Affordable Care Act while buying health insurance. The GOP-proposed spending bill has left this issue unaddressed, meaning the tax credits received by over 24 million Americans through the Affordable Care Act are now uncertain. It could result in health insurance premiums becoming more expensive, experts warn. The Democrats want to make these tax breaks permanent.

Meanwhile, the GOP camp has shown willingness to address the issue, but has proposed a separate route, other than the ACA tax breaks. Concerns that they could benefit illegal immigrants have also been raised, though that has been debunked.