Sunday 7 August 2022 02:28 PM Senate pulls all-nighter with junk food, naps in marathon vote-a-rama for $740B ... trends now

Senators have been inside the US Capitol all night voting on dozens of amendments to Democrats' $740 billion climate change and healthcare spending bill, in a lengthy process known as a vote-a-rama.

Lawmakers bought sweet and salty snacks for their aides, and 88-year-old Republican Senator Chuck Grassley had been taking 10-minute naps to make it through the night, according to CNN.

The outlet reported that Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, a year older than Grassley, had been taking walks to and from her office between votes. Democrat Senator Patrick Leahy, there after hip surgery, is reportedly present in his wheelchair.

Democrat Senator Chris Coons told CNN Sunday morning that he was on his fourth cup of coffee, and did not expect a final vote until at least 12 p.m. 

Hoping to score a major win for President Joe Biden ahead of the November midterm elections, Democrats have cobbled out an agreement on a financial package that can be passed via the budget process known as reconciliation.

What that means is that it can be passed via a simple majority vote by the party in power, rather than the 60-vote threshold needed to pass most other legislation - but can only be passed after an unlimited number of amendments come to the floor.

On Saturday evening, all 50 Senate Democrats voted to proceed with debate on the bill. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote. 

That's despite Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders criticizing the legislation on Saturday, calling it the 'so-called Inflation Reduction Act.'

But as of Sunday morning the bill has survived an onslaught of Republican amendments including ones cracking down on the southwestern border and on the IRS.