Senate Approves $1.9 Trillion COVID Relief Bill Without Any Republican Support

The Senate ended a 27-hour marathon overnight session Saturday by narrowly passing a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. Senators voted 50-49 along party lines with one Republican—Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska—absent. The approval got Democrats one step closer to fulfilling one of the biggest early priorities for President Joe Biden. Now the bill must go back to the House of Representatives. Although a small group of moderate Democrats pushed some changes in the final bill that angered progressives that isn’t expected to lead to a rejection of the measure in the House, where Democrats have the edge by 10 votes.

The bill was approved after an all-nighter in which Democrats swatted away efforts by the Republican minority to push through around three dozen amendments. Some lawmakers appeared to fall asleep at their desks overnight and at one point Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii was seen stretching.