Biden takes victory lap after Senate passes coronavirus relief package
By Tal Axelrod - 03/06/21 03:45 PM EST President Biden took a victory lap Saturday after the Senate passed his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, handing him his biggest legislative victory since he took office.
“It’s a good day today. When we took office 45 days ago, I promised the American people help was on the way. Today, I can say we’ve taken one more giant step forward in delivering on that promise that help is on the way,†Biden said in remarks from the White House.
The legislation passed Saturday in a 50-49 vote after a whirlwind session that lasted over 24 hours. The package was passed via budget reconciliation, a process that allowed it to avoid a 60-vote filibuster, However, the bill first had to undergo a vote-a-rama during which any senator could propose an amendment to change the legislation.
The laborious process produced the longest vote in Senate history, but Biden touted it as necessary in the fight against the coronavirus. The package provides another round of stimulus checks, aid for state and local government, more help for small businesses and schools, and looks to bolster the nation’s growing vaccination effort.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/541961-biden-takes-victory-lap-after-senate-passes-coronavirus-relief