The Senate voted to begin considering Democrats’ climate, tax and health care package on a party-line vote Saturday, setting up a marathon overnight voting session toward passage of the bill.
With all 50 senators who caucus with Democrats voting for the motion to proceed, the reconciliation bill advanced after a year of negotiations and changes to get key centrists in the evenly divided chamber on board.
All Republicans opposed the motion, which was adopted after a lengthy delay to allow time for senators to return to Washington and for Vice President Kamala Harris to arrive to break the tie. The 51-50 vote allows the Senate to move forward with up to 20 hours of debate, followed by unlimited amendment votes known as the “vote-a-rama” and final passage.
