A controversial bill to renew tax cuts for all Americans cleared a crucial, procedural hurdle in the Senate Monday, setting the stage for a vote on final passage later this week.
The vote was 83 to 15.
Senate rules require at least 60 votes to defeat a filibuster and advance the legislation to a final vote.
A majority of House Democrats will likely oppose the $858 billion bill when it reaches the House later this week. But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., still believes that it will ultimately pass if they can increase some of the rates assessed on multimillion-dollar estates.
But Monday’s roll call marked a key step in advancing the legislation after its rocky debut a week ago, in a compromise between the Obama administration and congressional Republicans.
He urged the House to quickly pass the measure.
Senators on both sides of the aisle expressed support for the compromise package ahead of the vote. They generally described the bill as a less-than-perfect deal that was nevertheless necessary to avert a massive tax increase on all Americans come Jan. 1, when the Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, in a speech on the Senate floor Monday, called the package a “step in the right direction.”
