The Senate narrowly passed President Joe Biden’s $1,9 Trillion coronavirus relief package on Saturday, after more than 24 draining hours of debate between the Republicans and Democrats.
After scouring through a mountain of amendments all night, the bill was approved on a 50-49 party-line vote.
The legislation is now heading back to the House for the final congressional approval next week before Biden can sign it into law.
“This nation has suffered too much for much too long,” Biden said after the vote.
“And everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation, and put us in a better position to prevail.”
The relief package is Biden’s largest priority, with spending totaling nearly one-tenth the size of the entire US economy.
This is also the reason why Republicans say the legislation is too big, bloated, and calls it a wasteful spending spree that ignores recent indications that the pandemic and economy could be turning the corner.
“The Senate has never spent $2 trillion in a more haphazard way or through a less rigorous process,” said GOP Leader Mitch McConnell before the vote.
“Their top priority wasn’t pandemic relief. It was their Washington wish list.”
Many of the rejected amendments, which are mostly from the GOP, were attempts to force Democrats to cast politically awkward votes or for Republicans to demonstrate their zeal for issues that appeal to their voters.
However, a few of the Democratic Senators leveraged some changes in the legislation.
“They feel like we do, we have to get this done,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“It’s not going to be everything everyone wants. No bill is.”
The approval of the bill would mean providing direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans and extended emergency unemployment benefits.