The first government shutdown in nearly seven years began at midnight after lawmakers failed to reach a deal on extending funding.

The U.S. government is under its first federal government shutdown in almost seven years as Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government.

Get live updates from Capitol Hill as Republicans and Democrats in Congress scramble to avoid a government shutdown.

The government shutdown is in its third day on Friday with senators set to vote for the fourth time on bills to fund the government. But with negotiations appearing stalled, it’s looking like the shutdown could extend through the weekend.

Senate Democrats kept their promise to reject any Republican spending bill that didn’t extend or restore health care benefits, choosing instead to force a government shutdown

For a fourth time, the Senate failed to pass a short-term spending bill that would end a federal government shutdown and keep agencies running through November.Only three Democrats joined Republicans Friday to support the measure,