In a protracted procedure known as a vote-a-rama, senators spent the entire night voting on scores of amendments to Democrats’ $740 billion climate change and healthcare spending measure inside the US Capitol.
According to CNN, lawmakers ordered salty and sweet food for their staff members, and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, 88, had been taking 10-minute naps to get through the night.
Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is a year older than Grassley, was reportedly taking walks to and from her office in between votes, according to the publication.
Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, is allegedly there in a wheelchair following hip surgery.
Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, said to CNN on Sunday morning that he was on his fourth cup of coffee and did not anticipate a decision until at least 12 p.m.
Democrats have hammered out an agreement on a financial package that may be passed via the budget process known as reconciliation in an effort to give President Joe Biden a significant victory before the November midterm elections.
This means that it can be approved by the party in power with a simple majority vote rather than the 60 votes required to pass most other pieces of legislation.
However, it can only be approved after an infinite number of modifications are discussed.
The bill’s debate was approved by all 50 Senate Democrats on Saturday night. The tie-breaking vote was cast by vice president Kamala Harris.
This is true despite Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ Saturday criticism of the bill, which he labelled the “so-called Inflation Reduction Act.”
However, by of Sunday morning, the bill had withstood a barrage of Republican amendments, including ones that tightened restrictions at the border with Mexico and the IRS.
By forcing Democrats to reject motions on contentious matters, the GOP hopes to trap them in awkward situations.
Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville told The Hill: ‘Sometimes you don’t get a vote on some of these topics, so it’s good to bring them up.
One of Sanders’ own amendments, which would have prevented Medicare drug costs from going above those of the Department of Veterans Affairs, was defeated by a vote of 99 to 1.
Other changes put forth by the self-described Democratic Socialist, which he has claimed the plan doesn’t go far enough on, to increase Medicare and reduce pharmaceutical costs were also rejected by a majority of his colleagues.
Additionally, Sanders was the sole senator to support his proposal to increase the corporate tax rate in order to pay for an increased child tax credit, with 97 senators voting against it.
Another Democrat, Senator Michael Bennet, told CNN early on Sunday that Sanders’ amendment was “not helpful.”
Regarding his plethora of proposals, Sanders reportedly told reporters, “I don’t want to disgrace anybody.” Are they angry because the child credit has to be increased and extended?
Every change I offered today has broad support, he continued.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat, stated that his party wanted to preserve the integrity of the original plan, which was reached after months of arduous discussions.
This meant that members would probably reject provisions they would otherwise support.
Look forward to a lot more “no” votes on things we would normally desire because this one is so finely balanced that ANY amendment, even a “good” one, runs the risk of upsetting the balance. Don’t be shocked,” Whitehouse tweeted on Saturday.
Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, told The Hill that he went grocery shopping to make sure that people’s necessities were met throughout the marathon session.
He said that he purchased ‘plenty of stuff with chocolate’ in addition to fruit and nuts, saying, “I went to Trader Joes and bought a couple hundred dollars worth of goodies for all the floor staff, for other senators and other people working late tonight.”
Senator John Kennedy, a Republican, was reportedly seen consuming a Slim Jim, and Mike Lee, another GOPer, informed the news source that he is dependent on beef jerky and “plenty of Red Bull.”