CNN Vote Count: Budget deal has enough Senate support for final passage
Washington (CNN) – The budget deal that passed an important procedural hurdle in the Senate has enough support to win final Congressional approval this week, according to CNN's vote count.
On Tuesday, 67 Senators supported breaking a filibuster and moving towards a final vote – signaling that final passage of the agreement is all but certain.
Another reflection of this near certainty: Fifty-two Senators or Senate aides confirmed to CNN that they plan to support the measure's final passage. Because the final vote requires only a simple majority – the 52 confirmed "aye" votes means, according to CNN's count, the measure will pass.
The deal worked out by House Budget Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan and Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray soared through the House, passing Thursday by a 332-94 vote. For many, the deal represents a way to ensure that federal government doesn't shut down again – like it did for 16 days in October.
Twelve Republicans joined all 55 Democrats in Tuesday's vote, but not all those Republicans said they planned to back final passage of the deal.
"There's no reason to block an up or down vote on the budget agreement," tweeted Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri. "But I will vote NO on final passage."
Not all of the 12 Republicans backed away from the deal, either.
Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia – who is retiring next year and voted in favor of breaking the filibuster – said on the Senate floor after the vote that he plans to vote yes on final based because the bill " lays the groundwork for the next chapter in our pursuit of fiscal sanity."
Like Republicans, some Democrats who voted to move forward with the measure on Tuesday said they couldn't guarantee they would back final passage of the budget. An aide to Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa told CNN on Tuesday that the Senator "remains undecided even though he did vote for cloture." Harkin is one of a handful of liberal senators who raised concerns that an unemployment benefit extension was not included in the deal.
"There's over a million people now who cannot find a job, out of work, and right at this time of year their unemployment insurance is being cut off," Harkin told Radio Iowa last week. "It's really unconscionable."
If lawmakers don't act, unemployment benefits – at a cost of $26 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office – will expire for 1.3 million workers on December 28.
Other Senators who caucus with the Democratic Party – like Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont – said they would begrudgingly support the bill's final passage. A spokesman for Sanders used one word to describe how Sander's would support the bill: "unenthusiastically."
The budget – while more scaled back than most Senators had wanted – is a bright spot of bipartisanship in what has been a year full of bitter partisanship, political dysfunction and low support for the work Congress is doing.
After the deal likely passes the Senate, the budget will head to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature. The President has already signaled that he support the plan.
CNN's Ted Barrett, Tom Cohen, Dana Bash and Lisa Desjardins contributed to this report.
You know, I made an appeal for civility to people barely a week ago, mainly because I found myself emotionally drained by the anger I was receiving and generating. There is a distinct difference between passion and fury, and many here have crossed that line numerous times. Please, for the sake of us who actually want to learn something, don't let your blinkered vision of the world cloud you to the opportunity to learn something. To anyone who reads this, please ask yourself if you would conduct yourself like this around the dinner table with your family: if you do, go get counseling.
@The Real TP,
"You know, I made an appeal for civility to people barely a week ago, mainly because I found myself emotionally drained by the anger I was receiving and generating. There is a distinct difference between passion and fury, and many here have crossed that line numerous times. Please, for the sake of us who actually want to learn something, don't let your blinkered vision of the world cloud you to the opportunity to learn something. To anyone who reads this, please ask yourself if you would conduct yourself like this around the dinner table with your family: if you do, go get counseling."
=======
I totally agree. Especially your last line. That was the point I was trying to make. I'm by no means perfect and I think I try to read what those on the left say because I want to learn why you guys think the way you do and what motivates you. I think my frustration and what led to the latest back and forth was borne from the frustration that your last line of your post says. I like to come on here to try and understand why the left feels the way they do. That's mainly why I read your posts (and the rest of your gang 🙂 ) I want to understand better. Your point is a good one and noted.
somebody posted:
lol. Point missed but that's ok. Sooooooo, one more time (and this time with feeling!). A grown person using terms like "rethugs" or "teaklans" or "raygun" is childish and demonstrates a lack of tolerance. That's all I was saying. Kudos to Rudy for trying to deflect and distract from the main point.
------------------------------
Moral of the story. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
BTW, Ronald Reagan has been caled by that name ever sincee the 1980s when he proposed his "Star Wars", space based, laser defense system. "Rethugs" has been tossed around for years. I'm not sure if I can tell you what "Teaklans" actually means because it lacks context. This channel is closed.
"I want to understand better."
Then stop listening to people like Rush Limbauh, Sean Hannity, Rand Paul and Neil Boortz.