The Senate just wrapped its budget reconciliation process with the tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President Kamala Harris, providing Democrats with a simple majority to proceed with its coronavirus stimulus package without Republican support.
The measure, which the House is expected to adopt later today, sets aside room for up to $1.89 trillion in deficit spending to combat the pandemic and provide financial aid to millions while the economy recovers.
The implementing legislation for the budget reconciliation package, which Democrats used to sidestep the Senate’s usual 60-vote filibuster threshold and pass with a simple majority, will start to take shape in a dozen House committees next week.
It was Harris’ first tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
“The yays are 50. The nays are 50. The Senate being equally divided, the vice president votes in the affirmative. And the concurrent resolution as amended is adopted,” she declared just after 5:30 a.m. Friday.
ABC NEWS
