Democrats blocked the Senate from jump-starting negotiations on military funding Thursday, denying Republicans a breakthrough as the government shutdown becomes one of the longest on record.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) peeled off some Democrats wanting to get back to a bipartisan appropriations process, using a bill to fund the War Department to win over Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and two other swing senators in a 50-44 vote.