The Senate voted 61-36 Monday to invoke cloture on the Collins-Nelson amendment, setting up a vote Tuesday on the full $827 billion stimulus package.
The cloture vote ends debate on the Collins-Nelson amendment, a compromise amendment that cut more than $120 billion from the stimulus package to ensure enough Republican votes for passage. The Monday cloture vote is a strong indicator of what Tuesday’s vote will look like.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the Senate will likely vote on the stimulus at noon Tuesday and will then vote on presidential nominees later in the afternoon.
After Tuesday’s vote, the differences in the House and Senate bills will be ironed out in conference committee and then sent back to the chambers for votes. Democratic leadership has indicated they want the bill sent to President Barack Obama by Presidents’ Day.
