Senate Democrats Pass Partisan Spending Bill

Senate Democrats passed their massive spending package on Sunday in a party-line vote using budget reconciliation.

The so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” passed the Senate via a simple majority with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. Democrats used the budget reconciliation process, which allows a measure to pass with a simple majority rather than needing to meet a 60-vote threshold.

The legislation is essentially a pared down version of President Biden’s Build Back Better package that was put to rest last year when Senator Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) pulled his support.