The Senate has passed legislation to reopen the government, bringing the longest shutdown in history closer to an end after a small group of Democrats struck a deal with Republicans. The 41-day shutdown could last a few more days as members of the House, which has been on recess since mid-September, return to Washington to vote on the legislation. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that a six-week shutdown would reduce growth in this year’s fourth quarter by about 1.5 percentage points, and that about $11 billion in economic activity will be permanently lost.