The Senate voted to advance a $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill, which includes direct payments to families and extends enhanced unemployment benefits, but it could be a long slog before there is a final vote.
The vote was 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris voting in favor to break a tie.
The legislation now move to a phase where senators can offer amendments for a vote, a process dubbed vote-a-rama as it may extend for the next couple of days. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) also has threatened to force the entire legislation to be read in the chamber, something that could take 10 or so hours.
The House last week passed the legislation in a narrow 219-212 vote, with no Republicans in support
If the bill passes, it will be President Joe Biden’s first major legislative accomplishment. Although he signaled a willingness to work with GOP lawmakers on the bill, he also said that it was urgent that such a massive piece of spending legislation pass, given the need for further vaccination funding, relief to state and local governments and outlays to prevent a recession.
The legislation includes $1,400 in direct payments for individuals who make up to $75,000, or joint filers who make $150,000. In the Senate version of the bill, those who make more than $80,000 or joint followers who make over $150,000 would get no payment. That is a less generous formula than the House version.
The bill also does not include an increase of the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, after the Senate parliamentarian ruled last week that such a change could not be brought to the floor for a simple majority vote, which Democrats are seeking.
The Senate legislation also would increase the weekly unemployment benefit from an extra $300 to an additional $400. Those benefits also would be extended through Aug. 2. Gig workers, freelancers and independent contractors would continue to be eligible.
The Senate remained in session on Thursday despite a visible increase in security, including a National Guard presence, after authorities warned of the threat of another attack on the Capitol. The complex is still surrounded by a black metal fence, put in place after the Capitol siege on Jan. 6. An intelligence report showed that the latest threat from a militia group was motivated by a conspiracy theory that Donald Trump would return to office on this day. But things were relatively quiet at the Capitol, where the inauguration platform was taken down weeks ago.