WASHINGTON – The Senate approved a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package on Saturday, ending a marathon overnight after Democrats resolved internal clashes that threatened to derail President Joe Biden’s top legislative priority.
Long-range legislation includes $ 1,400 stimulus checks, $ 300 weekly unemployment benefits during the summer, a family allowance of up to $ 3,600 for a year, $ 350 billion for state aid, $ 34 billion to expand Affordable Care Act grants and $ 14 billion for vaccine distribution.
The final vote was 50-49 along the lines of the party, with all Republicans voting “no”. This happened after Democrats voted against a series of Republican amendments in repeated votes of 50-49 to avoid breaking the delicate agreement between progressive and moderate senators.
Before it can be signed by Biden, the legislation will have to be passed again by the House because the Senate made changes to its version, which Democrats approved on party lines last Saturday.
The vote was a critical first test of the ability of the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, to hold all 50 Democrats together behind an important piece of legislation, despite being a bench with ideological and regional diversity.
“We are not going to make the same mistake that we made after the last economic center, when Congress did very little to help the nation’s recovery, trapping us in a long, slow and painful recovery,” said Schumer, DN.Y. before the vote. “We will not be shy in the face of great challenges.”
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Criticized Democrats for taking a partisan approach and said the United States economy “will come back in full force and mostly not because of this bill – in fact, in some ways, despite this bill. “
The legislation would be a victory for Biden, who campaigned for president primarily to bring Covid-19 under control and revive a destroyed economy. The package also includes many progressive priorities, although others, such as raising the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, have been forced out.
Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska’s absence due to a family emergency prevented Vice President Kamala Harris from having to untie the 50-50 chamber, which she had to do to allow the Senate to start debate on the bill .
The Senate’s changes to the House approved version of the plan include reducing unemployment benefits to $ 300 (from $ 400 in the House bill) and slightly extending them until September 6. The Senate has limited eligibility for checks to $ 1,400 by limiting payments to those earning $ 80,000 or $ 160,000 for couples. And the bill subsidizes 100 percent of COBRA insurance coverage for unemployed Americans, up from 85 percent in the House version.
The Senate also passed some modest and non-controversial amendments offered by both parties before approving the final version.
The Senate seemed ready to start the long process, known as vote-a-rama, on Friday morning. But then the Democratic leadership paused to settle a last-minute dispute over unemployment benefits and keep Senator Joe Manchin, DW.Va., on board, after he seemed ready to side with the Republicans and change that provision, a measure that would have alienated progressives.
As a result, Democrats extended the first vote of the day by 11 hours and 50 minutes, setting a new record for the longest Senate vote.
In the end, Manchin agreed to support a clause supported by other Democrats that also allows the first $ 10,200 of unemployment benefits not to be taxable for incomes of up to $ 150,000.
“The president made it clear that we will have enough vaccines for all Americans by the end of May and I am confident that the economic recovery will follow,” said Manchin. “We have reached an agreement that allows the economy to recover quickly and, at the same time, protect those receiving unemployment insurance from being hit by unexpected taxes next year.”
Biden was in contact with Manchin during the course of negotiations on the unemployment insurance deal, said a source familiar with the discussions.
Carol E. Lee, Kelly O’Donnell, Frank Thorp V and Julie Tsirkin contributed.