Senators are now voting on the final version of an economic stimulus package (H.R. 1).
As a reminder, the vote will not be official until Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) returns to Washington D.C. this evening to cast his vote. He has been back home attending to ceremonies involving the passing of his mother. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will hold the vote upon until he comes back, which could be after 10 PM D.C. time.
The vote is actually occurring on a point of order that the bill violates Budget Act provisions. If a motion to waive that point of order is adopted, which requires 60 affirmative votes, the bill will be subsequently passed per a unanimous consent agreement. More simply put, it’s a two for one vote on a motion to waive and final passage.
I’ll try to post some updates on where the vote total appears to stand up until it becomes official later tonight.
Update: The bill has been passed by a vote of 60 to 38. Senator Brown arrived on the Senate floor at around 10:45 D.C. time. The package now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it as early as Monday. Three Republicans (Specter, Collins & Snowe) supported the bill. All other votes went along party lines.
Bill Links
- Bill Text – Divison A (Appropriations)
- Bill Text – Division B (Taxes, etc.)
- ProPublica Spending Summary
Congress in Your Pocket
