Senate passes Democrats spending and tax bill after politically charged vote-a-rama: LIVE UPDATES

Republicans on Sunday heaped scorn on Democrats for passing a multibillion-dollar economic package, warning that it would come back to haunt them in the November midterms. 

"Democrats will pay the price in November for raising taxes on families during a recession," Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement. 

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Speaking to reporters after the Senate passed a massive spending bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “every member of my caucus is elated about what happened because we’ve really changed the world in a way that you rarely get an opportunity to do.”

“I’m really confident that the Inflation Reduction Act will endure as one of the defining features of the 21st century.”

Democrats held united, passing the bill 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking vote.

“We did it without a single vote to spare. To do something with 50 votes is rough. To do small things with fifty votes as well, to pass such a major piece of legislation with only 50 votes and intransigent Republican minority, a caucus running from Bernie Sanders to Joe Manchin. Wow,” Schumer said. 

The GOP Sunday promised payback in the midterm elections after Democrats passed a major social spending and tax bill along party lines in the Senate.

“Democrats will pay the price in November for raising taxes on families during a recession," GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said.

Senate Democrats are considering making last-minute changes on the corporate minimum tax provisions in their social spending and tax bill.

The negotations are dragging the chamber's vote-a-rama out longer than anticipated, leaving more room for things to go awry for Democrats as they try to rush the bill to passage, according to Fox News Chad Pergram.

Republicans have been saying that the corporate tax rate, as it appears in the bill text released by Democrats Saturday, would apply to subsidiaries of major companies -- not just billion dollar companies as Democrats initially said.

Now, Fox News' Kelly Phares reports that Manchin and Sinema have been meeting with Senate Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., during the day.

"It's just adjustments being made in order, you know we're still trying to keep the numbers and everything what we have," Manchin told reporters late Sunday morning. "There's some maneuvering going on."

Talks still appear to be fluid, but the Senate continues to add amendments to its vote-a-rama, meaning it's unclear when the marathon session could end.

Because the Senate came into session at 12 p.m. Saturday, and has now been in for 24 full hours, the chamber paused its vote-a-rama proceedings Sunday for a new prayer, according to its rules.

"Pursuant to rule four, paragraph two, the hour of 12 noon having joyously arrived, and the Senate having been in continuous session since yesterday, the Senate will suspend for a prayer from the Senate chaplain," Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said as he presided over the chamber.

"Oh Lord, our God who rules the raging of the sea, our weekend work gently reminds us that freedom's price must be paid," Chaplain Barry Black said in his invocation. "As our senators provide the currency of perseverance to protect and defend this land we love, strengthen them for the challenges and empower them for the vicissitudes."

The Senate promptly resumed its vote-a-rama, which is expected to end Sunday afternoon.

Senate Republicans stripped a provision capping the price of insulin from Democrats' social spending and tax bill, after Democrats left it in the bill despite warnings it did not comply with rules for the process they're using to pass the legislation.

The cap applies specifically to the private marketplace.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., made the motion on the matter for Republicans, saying, "I believe this violates the rules of reconciliation."

That triggered a motion from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to waive the rules of reconciliation. Seven Republicans voted for keeping the provision: Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, John Kennedy, R-La., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss.

But the seven GOP votes, plus all Democrats, were not enough to reach the 60-vote threshold necessary to pass. The vote failed 57-43.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., however emphasized to reporters that the senate parliamentarian and her opinions on reconciliation rules do not control what happens in the Senate. She is technically only an advisor, and senators control what goes in bills.

"I've been very clear here. If we don't get an insulin cap, it's because my colleagues have decided to block it," Warnock said. "The parliamentarian's rules are not self-enforced. So the only way we don't do what 20 other states have already done, many of them red states, is if folks here decide to put politics in front of the people."

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a rally outside an Amazon facility on Staten Island in New York. Sanders is pressuring President Biden to cut off anti-union companies from federal contracts. (AP / AP Newsroom)

The Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders for the fifth time Sunday morning, this time on stripping benefits for fossil fuel from Democrats' social spending and tax bill. The vote was 99-1.

"My amendment would eliminate all of the provisions in this bill that would benefit the fossil fuel industry, including opening up to 700 million acres of public lands and water for oil and gas drilling," Sanders, I-Vt., said. "There is a reason why BP and Shell, some of the largest oil companies in this country, are supporting this bill, and it is not a good reason."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., fired back, saying Sanders' amendment is radical.

"In a night, a day -- whatever we've been doing, night has turned into day -- of extremes, this is the most extreme idea yet. And that's saying a lot," Graham said. "Sen. Sanders wants to destroy fossil fuel exploration at a time you've got to get a mortgage on your house to fill up your car."

Many Democrats' likely supported the substance of Sanders' amendment. But the fossil fuel provisions were key to securing the support of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., for Democrats' social spending bill. If those were stripped, the bill might not pass, due to Democrats' razor-thin 50-50 majority, counting Vice President Harris as a tiebreaker.

Therefore, many Democrats said they would vote against all amendments, even if they liked them.

"It's my view that this is the only deal that's gonna get us 50 votes," Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., told Fox News Digital about many Democrats' plans to vote against even amendments they support. "It's not the bill I would have written but it's still a very good bill. So I want to make sure that we can maintain 50 votes on final passage."

A final vote is likely coming on Democrats' bill in the coming hours.

Three Senate Democrats who are in tough reelection fights voted for an amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz Sunday that would ban U.S. oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve from being sold to China -- but the amendment needed 60 total votes and did not pass.

The amendment from Cruz, R-Texas, is in reaction to recent reports that some of the oil President Biden has released from the United States' reserves eventually went to China. That outraged Republicans, who have attacked Biden on his energy policy since he entered office.

Sens. Catherine Cortez Maso, D-Nev., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. -- all up for reelection -- voted yes in the 54-46 vote. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., also joined those senators in voting in the affirmative.

Cruz's amendment needed 60 votes to overcome a point of order because it did not conform with the Senate's Byrd Rule.

Biden's administration has fired back at Republicans for the claim that it's sent oil to China.

"This accusation is ridiculous and false, and if they took the initiative to examine some basic facts, they would see that," White House Spokesman Ian Sams told Fox News' Brooke Singman.

Sams explained that when oil is released from the SPR, the U.S. Department of Energy is "required by law to sell it ‘in a competitive auction to the highest bidder,’ regardless of whether that bidder is a foreign company."

Cruz, meanwhile, says Democrats' bill, which Biden backs, in and of itself will harm U.S. energy.

"This bill represents the most significant assault on U.S. energy production the Senate has ever considered," Cruz said. "It is designed to bankrupt every coal miner in America, to dramatically increase gas prices consumers are paying, and to permanently harm US oil and gas production."

Chairman Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, questions Saule Omarova, a nominee to be the comptroller of the currency, as she testifies before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Nov. 18, 2021. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Sen. Bernie Sanders' efforts to pass amendments to Democrats' social tax and spending bill came to a head Sunday when Sen. Sherrod Brown warned one of Sanders' provisions would kill the legislation.

Sanders, I-Vt., was introducing his fourth amendment of the Senate's marathon vote-a-rama, after Democrats and Republicans voted overwhelmingly against his previous three. This one would bring back the child tax credit and pay for it using tax hikes on corporations.

"This is the wealthiest nation on earth, we should not have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any country," Sanders said, touting the results of an "almost 40% reduction in childhood poverty," from the American Rescue Plan.

But Democrats, out of concern any changes could cause someone in their razor-thin majority to oppose the bill, are generally voting against all amendments that could change it. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, warned before the vote that if the Sanders amendment passed it could tank the whole effort.

"Sen. Sanders is right, the child tax credit is one of the most important things this body did," he said. "I ask my colleagues to vote no because this will bring the bill down."

"We could lose the underlying bill," Sen. Michael Bennett, D-Colo., also warned.

"If I could ask my friend from Ohio -- why would passage of this amendment, or getting 48 votes on this amendment, bring the overall bill down?" Sanders shot back after Bennett's and Brown's comments.

"We know that this is a fragile arrangement and we've got to pass it," Brown replied.

A senator could be heard on a hot mic saying, "come on, Bernie," before the vote began.

Sanders' amendment failed 99-1. His previous three amendments failed 98-1, 99-1, and 97-3.

Likely on the forefront of Democrats' minds during that vote were Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., the moderate who was the chief architect of the social spending bill, and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who didn't commit to supporting it until Thursdsay.

Such an ambitions provision as Sanders' could have led them to vote against the legislation on final passage. And with the Senate split 50-50, that would kill the legislation that Democrats are likely to tout as their top legislative accomplishment before the midterms.

The sun rises behind the Supreme Court Sunday morning, as the Senate's vote-a-rama drags on and its session passes the 18-hour mark, with votes likely to last several more hours. (Tyler Olson/Fox News)

A beautiful sunrise painted the sky behind the Supreme Court Sunday morning, across the way from the U.S. Capitol where senators are nearing the eighth hour of their marathon vote-a-rama, which may only be about halfway done.

The Senate's vote-a-rama on amendments to Democrats' social spending and tax bill started after 11 p.m. Saturday night, and is on its 19th amendment as of 7:04 a.m. Sunday. The Senate has been in session since noon Saturday.

According to the Senate Press Gallery, the Senate has approximately 16 amendment votes to go.

Those votes will likely include a vote on a GOP point of order against an insulin-related provision Democrats included in the final version of their reconciliation bill, despite concern it does not comply with Senate rules for reconciliation bills.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., visits outside a polling location at Warren E. Bow Elementary School in Detroit, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

The Senate rejected two more amendments introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders during a Sunday morning vote-a-rama, to make three total failed amendments from the firebrand progressive senator.

Sanders' proposals were for a Civilian Climate Corps and additional benefits for Medicare.

The Climate Corps amendment failed by a 98-1 vote, with Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., not voting. The Medicare amendment failed 97-3, with Sens. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., voting in favor of it with Sanders, I-Vt.

These followed a previous amendment from Sanders that failed 99-1.

Democrats' unity against the senator's amendments comes as they are also unanimously rejecting several proposals from Republicans, in order to keep their social spending and taxation bill intact for final passage.

"It's my view that this is the only deal that's gonna get us 50 votes," Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., told Fox News Digital about many Democrats' plans to vote against even amendments they support. "It's not the bill I would have written but it's still a very good bill. So I want to make sure that we can maintain 50 votes on final passage."

Sanders, however, said before the vote-a-rama that his colleagues should be able to support policies he says are popular with their constituents.

"What today is about is whether or not Democrats are going to stand up and fight, fight for amendments and support amendments which address some very critical needs of working families," Sanders told Fox News Digital. "The amendments that I will offer probably have the support of 70 or 80 percent of the American people. We will see how much support they will be getting."

The Senate's vote-a-rama could run longer than expected, after it got off to a late start and moved slowly through its first dozen votes.

The chamber is only on its 13th vote more than five hours after the vote-a-rama began, a pace that's less than three votes per hour. Each vote in the marathon session is supposed to only last 15 minutes.

The vote-a-rama also got started later than was initially expected at after 11 p.m. ET Saturday. It was initially planned to begin much earlier in the evening.

Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

Sen. Rick Scott speaks with Fox News Digital at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida. (Tyler Olson/Fox News Digital)

Top Republicans Sunday slammed a move by a Democrat senator to bring up an anti-gas tax amendment at a 60-vote threshold after voting against a similar amendment at a 50-vote threshold during the Senate's marathon vote-a-rama.

"It's a very cynical ploy for sure," Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said. "Vote for one at 60 after you just voted against it at 51. But nothing around here surprises me."

"They're completely deceitful," National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Rick Scott, R-Fla., said.

The senator who brought the amendment, Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., pushed back on similar comments fron Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., when she first introduced it.

"I'll just note the inaccuracy of what was said on the floor about the substance of this," she said.

Democrats, meanwhile, are accusing Republicans of bringing all of their amendments in bad faith. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said he won't vote for any Republican amendments because they plan to vote unanimously vote against the bill.

"The Inflation Reduction Act is the product of years of bipartisan conversations about the most impactful ways to produce more energy domestically, bring down energy and healthcare costs and pay down our debt. The IRA achieves this without raising taxes," he said.

"Despite this, my R friends have made clear they’re completely unwilling to support this bill under any condition. None of their amendments would change that. For this reason, I’ll vote to protect the integrity of the IRA regardless of the substance of their fake amendments," Manchin added.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., meanwhile said he admired the Democrats' political move, even if they were blocking implementation of an amendment he supported.

"It was a clever maneuver on their part from a parliamentary perspective," he said.

Three other vulnerable Democratic senators up for reelection joined Hassan on the vote: Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., introduced a similar amendment to Hassan's later in the vote-a-rama after Democrats blocked a GOP amendment to codify Title 42. That amendment also got the votes of Warnock, Hassan and Kelly, among others. But it still fell short of the 60 votes it needed to succeed.

All 50 Senate Democrats remained united on four key votes Sunday morning to block Republican amendments during the Senate's vote-a-rama, including one on keeping Title 42 -- a policy some Democrats criticized the Biden administration for trying to get rid of too soon.

The Title 42 amendment was introduced by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., who criticized Democrats as hypocritical for introducing a similar amendment that would require a 60-vote threshold just moments later.

"What this is is actually my Title 42 bill but with one little tweak in it. It takes it out of Byrd compliance, so this allows any individial to vote for this one but actually oppose the one that would have actually implemented the policy," Lankford said of the amendment proposed by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., just moments after his failed.

The Tester amendment did fall by a 56-44 vote, with Sens. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., joining Tester.

Also among the GOP amendments that failed were one from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on eliminating a tax on imported and domestic oil; one from Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., to increase energy production; and one from Sen. Shelley Moore Captio, D-W.Va., on emissions regulations.

Democrats' unity on those key votes indicates their members are committed to keeping their social spending and taxation bill intact as it was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.

Republicans will likely continue to force them to take dozens of tough votes through Sunday morning, but Democrats appear on a path to passing their bill in the coming hours.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan makes a stop in the northern New Hampshire city of Berlin on April 7, 2021. The former governor and first term senator is running for reelection in 2022. (Maggie Hassan reelection campaign)

Sen. Maggie Hassan, who faces reelection this fall, brought up an amendment to repeal an energy tax at a 60-vote threshold during the vote-a-rama early Sunday, a move Sen. Lindsey Graham called "decietful" after she voted against his similar amendment moments earlier.

"This is a common-sense, straighforward amendment to strike the surcharge on barrels of oil," Hassan, D-N.H., said of her amendment, after the amendment from Graham failed to pass on a 50-50 party line vote.

Graham, R-S.C., stepped to the Senate floor to slam Hassan for the effort, alleging it was a transparent effort to appeal to voters, rather than change the substance of Democrats' social tax and spending bill.

"This gives phony and cynical a bad name. They wouldn't let you do this in professional wrestling," Graham said. "If you think people are this dumb you're gonna be sadly mistaken.

"What she's doing is trying to strike the provisions that she just voted against, but it requires 60 votes, so she can vote for repealing a gas tax she just voted against, so she'll look good for the voters," Graham added. "You should have voted for my amendment. What you're doing is deceitful, it's dishonest and we're gonna call you out."

Hassan replied: "I'll just note the inaccuracy of what was said on the floor about the substance of this."

The Senate voted 55-45 on a point of order related to the amendment, failing to waive the point of order and allowing the amendment to fail.

Three other vulnerable Democratic senators up for reelection joined Hassan on the vote: Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who is not up for reelection, also voted with Hassan.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., offered an amendment on prescription drug costs during the Senate's vote-a-rama Saturday. (REUTERS/Ken Cedeno)

The Senate Saturday night rejected an amendment on prescription drug costs from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in the first vote of its marathon vote-a-rama, which is expected to last all night and into Sunday.

The vote was 99-1.

The vote was technically on a motion to waive a point of order against Sanders' amendment, but still effectively blocked it.

The fact Democrats were nearly unanimous in voting against Sanders' amendment could be a sign that they will treat upcoming GOP amendments the same way, in order to prevet any poison pills from being inserted into the legislation.

Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., said the vote was a good start for Democratic unity against Republicans' amendments.

"So far so good," he said. "It's gonna be a good night."

Coming up are five votes on Republican amendments about immigration, energy, climate policy and the IRS.

POLITICS

Republicans to force votes on border, energy, IRS and more in first tranche of 'vote-a-rama' amendments

Senate Republicans are highlighting vote-a-rama amendments to codify the Title 42 immigration policy, prevent audits on middle class Americans and more.

The first Senate GOP amendments in Saturday night's vote-a-rama include provisions on energy, the border and the IRS, as the Republicans try to kill Democrats' social spending bill – or at least make it politically painful to pass.

Perhaps the most likely to succeed is an amendment to codify the Title 42 immigration policy from Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla. It may put the several Democrats who've said they support the policy in a tight spot, including Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who is one of the chief sponsors of the bill. Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and others have also been critical of Biden administration efforts to end Title 42. 

"We're gonna put it out there. Many of them have said one thing, but they've never been on the record. This is the moment to actually be on the record and to say what they actually believe on these issues," Lankford told Fox News Digital on Saturday. 

Manchin, however, said Saturday he will vote against Republicans' "fake" amendments, because he says they're being offered in bad faith – since Republicans are expected to oppose the bill unanimously. 

To read more from Fox News' Tyler Olson, click here.

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 24: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at an Amazon Labor Union rally on April 24, 2022 in New York City.

Sen. Bernie Sanders Saturday slammed Democrats' "Inflation Reduction Act" for allegedly not reducing inflation -- and said its fossil fuel provisions are a "slap in the face" to people dealing with effects of pollution and climate change.

"I want to take a moment to say a few words about the so-called Inflation Reduction Act' that we are debating this evening," Sanders, I-Vt., said on the Senate floor. "And I say so-called, by the way, because according to the CBO, and other economic organizations that study this bill, it will, in fact, have a minimal impact on inflation."

The "Inflation Reducation Act" is the result of more than a year of intra-party Democrat talks on passing a party-line bill using the Senate's budget reconciliation process to get around the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Initially called "Build Back Better," Sanders was among the chief proponents of the bill, which at some points was proposed to cost more than $3 trillion.

But Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., killed those efforts last year, and finally agreed to a bill with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., last week. But it was dramatically scaled back, including more than $700 billion in tax revenue and over $400 billion in spending.

Sanders is likely support the final bill no matter what -- he voted for the motion to proceed to debate it earlier Saturday. And he acknowledged in his floor remarks that it has provisions he likes. But he also said there are negative features to the bill.

Among them, Sanders said, are not enough action on drug prices and tepid climate change provisoins.

"This bill, as currently written, includes a huge giveaway to the fossil fuel industry," he said. "It's a slap in the face to the communities fighting to protect themselves from filthy fossil fuels."

"At a time when the drug companies are enjoying huge profits, the pharmaceutical industry will still be allowed to charge the American people by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs," Sanders added.

The senator also lamented that many his colleagues aren't open to inclulding his amendments, which they say could put the legislation's final passage in jeopardy.

"If all 50 members of the Democratic caucus were to stand together today, we could pass some enormously important amendments, which would have a profound impact on improving the lives of working people in our country," Sanders said.

Sanders said he'll press for an amendment to "strike all of the benefits to the fossil fuel industry" from the legislation, as well as to fund dental and vision in Medicare, and create a Civilian Conservation Corps. Another amendment Sanders has also proposed would extend the child tax credit and raise the corporate tax rate.

Vice President Harris said Saturday that Democrats' social spending and taxation bill is "critically important," as she left the Capitol after casting a tiebreaking vote to start debate on the bill Saturday, Fox News' Kelly Phares reports.

"I think this legislation is long overdue and it's critically important. It's going to lower costs for Americans," Harris said. "It's going to address some of the basic needs families have been having for generations in terms of the daily costs of life that are too expensive that are going to be lowered because of this work."

With the Senate split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats, Harris will likely be needed to break another tie on final passage of the bill sometime Sunday.

That vote will follow a marathon vote-a-rama that will likely get underway sometime Saturday night.

Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 6, 2021. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., told Fox News Digital Saturday that he will be introducing amendments to Democrats' social spending and tax bill, and that he plans to vote for them. 

Sanders' comments come as Democrats, holding on to a 50-50 majority in the Senate, are trying to hold their caucus together to pass their legislation. Many members say they'll vote against all amendments to the bill during the upcoming "vote-a-rama." 

But Sanders said he thinks Democrats should vote for his. 

 "What today is about is whether or not Democrats are going to stand up and fight, fight for amendments and support amendments which address some very critical needs of working families," Sanders said. "The amendments that I will offer probably have the support of 70 or 80 percent of the American people. We will see how much support they will be getting."

Several other Democrats, however, are cool on Sanders' strategy. They think it creates unnecessary risk after they negotiated for more than a year to get a reconciliation bill their entire caucus could support. 

"Many of us believe that our number one goal is to make sure this gets to the finish line without any amendments creating problems for its final passage," Rep. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. "I will vote no on any amendment I think compromises the bill's signature by the president."

"It's my view that this is the only deal that's gonna get us 50 votes," Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said. "It's not the bill I would have written but it's still a very good bill. So I want to make sure that we can maintain 50 votes on final passage."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., also said he will vote against amendments, "that jeopardize the total bill." 

Sanders, meanwhile, was noncommittal on whether he would vote for a so-called wrap-around amendment. Such an amendment would eliminate any changes to the legislation that were made during the vote-a-rama.

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a meeting with North Carolina state legislators on reproductive rights at the Carole Hoefener Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Grant Baldwin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Democrats will need Vice President Harris to break a 50-50 tie on a motion to start debate on their social spending and taxation bill, after all 50 Republicans voted in the negative Saturday afternoon.

It was not clear whether Harris would be needed for the vote to stat debate, called a motion to proceed, earlier Saturday. That's because many Republicans were absent.

But all 50 made it back to Washington, D.C., in time for the vote, meaning Democrats will need Harris to break a tie.

Sen. Joe Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently unveiled the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images | F. Carter Smith/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fox News' Kelly Phares reports Sen. Joe Manchin said that he will vote to "protect the integrity of the bill," Saturday when asked if he will support Republican amendments to his social spending and tax bill during a vote-a-rama. 

Manchin, D-W.Va., is a moderate who agrees with Republicans on some issues, including energy and the Title 42 immigration policy. Republicans say they plan to introduce amendments on those topics, in hopes of forcing Democrats into tough votes, dividing them, or potentially changing the bill. 

But Manchin is also the champion of Democrats' bill, which he introduced last week with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Several other Democrats have indicated they're potentially open to voting for some amendments, including Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who said "it depends," when asked whether he will vote for any amendments Saturday. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he will be introducing amendments, including on the Child Tax Credit, a Civilian Climate Corps, and to cover dental, hearing and vision under Medicare. But it's unclear those amendments will pass, as many Democrats say they will vote against all amendments, even if they agree with them. 

Senate Minority Whip John Thune said he expects all Republican senators to be present for the start of the Senate's vote-a-rama, despite several absences at votes earlier Saturday, Fox News' Kelly Phares reports.

"I think everybody's in various stages of getting here," Thune, R-S.D., said.

Republicans will likely need all, or nearly all, of their members present for a vote-a-rama if they hope to change the bill in any way.

Thune also said he hopes Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., will vote against any amendment to wipe out changes made to the bill during a vote-a-rama. Such a provision is called a wrap-around amendment.

"I would hope they would if there is one, and if the bill would change in the amendment process, they have indicated -- Manchin's been publilc about this in the past that he won't vote for a wraparound amendment," Thune said.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., did not commit to voting for a wrap-around amendment, or against GOP amendments, when asked by Fox News Digital.

It's not clear when the Senate will vote to officially start debate on Democrats' social spending and taxation bill, as senators prepare to pull an all-nighter on a "vote-a-rama" for the legislation.

The final text has not yet been released for the bill, called the "Inflation Reduction Act." Democrats released their initial version of the legislation last week. But they had to make some changes to it to lock down a vote from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is expected to speak on the Senate floor at 4 p.m., according to Fox News' Chad Pergram. It's not clear what he will say, or what his announcement will be.

After the vote to start debate happens, each party will be allowed 10 hours of debate before the beginning of the vote-a-rama, which some GOP senators say they expect to last more than 12 hours.

Fox News' Kelly Phares reports that Sen. Elizabeth Warren rejected GOP claims that Democrats are not testing for COVID-19 in order to keep all members healthy and ensure they have the votes to pass their social spending and taxation bill.

"No. And oh, please. The Republicans are concerned about Democrats showing up with COVID?" Warren, D-Mass., said. "The Republicans who wouldn't wear masks? The Republicans who wouldn't test? The Republicans who tested positive and still showed up? I'm telling you, they just know no limits on their political gamesmanship."

In a 50-50 Senate, if all Republicans show up and vote against Democrats' bill, Democrats will need all 50 members present and healthy to pass the bill. Vice President Harris would break a tie in that situation.

Fox News' Kelly Phares reports 10 Republican senators were missing from the first vote of the day in the Senate.

They were Sens. Mike Braun, R-Ind., Richard Burr, R-N.C., Steve Daines, R-Mont., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., James Risch, R-Idaho, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Those senators may come back later in time for the Senate's vote-a-rama. But if any are missing, it would make it easier for Senate Democrats to block GOP amendments to their social spending and taxation bill. All 50 Senate Democrats voted on the first vote of SAturday, which was to on a nomination discharge petition.

Fox News' Kelly Phares also reports that Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who caught COVID-19 earlier this week, was present for the Senate's first Saturday vote.

U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) arrives for U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. February 4, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/POOL - HP1EG250DAMEK (Reuters)

Sen. Jon Tester Saturday would not commit to voting against GOP amendments to Democrats' social spending bill. This comes as many other Democrats are saying they'll vote against any amendment, even those they like, to prevent Republicans from inserting any poison pills into the legislation. 

“It depends," Tester, D-Mont., said if he'd vote for any amendments, when asked by Fox News Digital. 

He also said, "It depends," when asked if he'd be willing to vote for a so-called wrap-around amendment to undo any amendments that do pass during the vote-a-rama.

Other Democrats, however, predict there will be significant party unity during the vote-a-rama. 

"I'll be surprised if any amendments get included in this legislation," Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., told Fox News Digital.

"I haven't talked to all 50 Democrats, but there's a lot of us who have been talking. So far a number of us have already tweeted that we're going to be voting no on... amendments that we like and we don't like," Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., told Fox News Digital. "I think there's such a moral urgency, I would say to get a bill across the line that's going to deal with the existential threat of climate change. I think that's motivating."

POLITICS

Dems claim wins on climate and prescriptions after parliamentarian reviews social tax and spending bill

Senate Democrats plan to push ahead with their reconciliation bill after what they said were key favorable rulings from the parliamentarian on Saturday.

Senate Democrats say Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough approved key elements of their social spending and taxation bill just hours ahead of a key vote to start debate on the measure. 

The parliamentarian also said one element of the legislation, a Medicare inflation rebate, does not conform with Senate rules, according to Democrats. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., indicated that won't stop Democrats from pushing ahead with votes this weekend. 

"Democrats have received extremely good news: For the first time, Medicare will finally be allowed to negotiate prescription drug prices, seniors will have free vaccines and their costs capped and much more. This is a major victory for the American people," Schumer said Saturday.

To read more from Fox News' Tyler Olson, click here.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has worked for more than a year to get 50 Democrats on board with a reconciliation bill. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Senate is set move ahead on Democrats' social spending and taxation bill, with a vote to start debate expected Saturday afternoon followed by a marathon "vote-a-rama" that could begin Saturday evening or early Sunday morning. 

Timing on the bill, which Democrats are passing through the budget reconciliation process, which allows them to get around the 60-vote filibuster and win with 50 senators, is fluid. 

The final text of the bill wasn't released as of Friday night, and lawmakers are waiting on the Senate parliamentarian to finish checking to ensure its provisions comply with reconciliation rules. 

To read more from Fox News' Tyler Olson, click here.