This vote was on passing a bill that would extend for varying lengths of time, mostly around a year, several programs that would otherwise have expired within a month. These include unemployment benefits, heath insurance subsidies for the unemployed, small business loans, flood insurance, the law that governs certain kinds of satellite TV signal distribution, small business lending programs, and more.

Republicans spent much of their time during debate on this bill offering amendments to use unspent money allocated by the 2009 economic stimulus law to pay for the bill’s spending either in whole or in part. They were all defeated.

“Those who doubt the wisdom of extending unemployment and COBRA benefits until the end of this year should hear the phone calls and read the letters that have come into my office over the past few weeks. As the Congress has debated, and delayed, on the question of whether to pass another short-term extension, these Americans, left jobless by a crisis not of their own making, wondered if the economic lifeline that keeps food on their tables and shelter over their heads would be severed. By approving this legislation, we will ensure that these families are not left in limbo by delays in Congress. Giving them some measure of certainty, at a time when the economic crisis has turned so much upside-down, is the right thing to do,” said Carl Levin, D-Mich.

By a vote of 62-36, the bill was passed. All but one Democrat present voted for the bill. Of Republicans present, 6 voted for the bill and 35 voted against it. The end result is that the Senate passed a bill that would extend expiring programs, including unemployment and COBRA health benefits for the unemployed, satellite TV distribution laws, small business lending, flood insurance and more.