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The package provides another round of stimulus checks, aid for state and local governments, and more help for small businesses and schools. The party-line vote is a significant break from the previous five coronavirus bills, each of which passed with bipartisan support.
The Senate was in session for more than 24 hours, including all night Friday and well into Saturday, ahead of the final vote as Democrats fended off attempts by GOP senators to make changes to the legislation, which now has to go back to the House before it can be sent to President Biden’s desk.
The House will take up the bill on Tuesday for a vote and plans to send it to Biden s desk for a signature early next week, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
“It’s a good day today. When we took office 45 days ago, I promised the American people help was on the way. Today, I can say we’ve taken one more giant step forward in delivering on that promise that help is on the way,” Biden said in remarks from the White House.
The legislation passed Saturday in a 50-49 vote after a whirlwind session that lasted more than 24 hours. The package was passed via budget reconciliation, a process that allowed it to avoid a 60-vote filibuster. However, the bill first had to undergo a vote-a-rama, during which any senator could propose an amendment to change the legislation.