Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that the Senate will start voting at 5 PM ET and pass the PACT Act tonight.
Schumer said, “We expect to have an agreement on the PACT Act with amendments. Start voting at 5 pm, and I believe it will pass and pass this evening. So that’s very good news and given that we will get PACT Act done today.”
A reporter asked during Schumer’s press conference, “What are the terms of the deal that you’ve reached on the PACT Act?”
The Senate Majority Leader replied, “It’s being hot-lined now by both sides. The leadership has reached agreement. There would be three amendments of 60 votes each and then passage.”
Senate Republicans will get to vote on some amendments, with one expected to be to make the expansion of veterans’ healthcare discretionary spending, which will be voted down, and then the Senate will do what it should have done initially and pass this legislation for vets.
The Senate Republican tantrum over the Schumer/Manchin deal has backfired on them. The behavior of the more than two dozen Senate Republicans who blocked this legislation has been disgraceful.
The entire situation turned into a PR nightmare for Republicans as veterans have been sleeping on the Capitol steps until this bill is passed.
Senate Republicans tried to hold expanded healthcare for vets hostage and ended up costing themselves more votes in November.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association