Hours-long reading of 628-page COVID relief bill delays Senate debate

The Senate on Thursday voted 51-50 — with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie — to proceed to debate on President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, likely setting up a final vote this weekend.
The state of play: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) forced Senate clerks to read the entire 628-page bill on the floor, which took nearly 11 hours and lasted until 2:04 a.m. on Friday. The Senate is set to return at 9 a.m. to debate the bill before considering amendments, which could drag into the weekend.
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- Republicans are expected to propose a number of amendments — some unrelated to COVID relief — intended to force uncomfortable votes for Democrats, in a practice known as vote-a-rama.
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) promised Thursday that the Senate will stay in session “no matter how long it takes” to finish voting on the “American Rescue Plan.”
- Because …continued .
[Source: CNBC News]