WASHINGTON (AP) – The ambitious budget and debt deal cleared a major hurdle in the Senate early Friday, setting the stage for Congress to pass the measure and send it to President Barack Obama.
The Senate voted 63-35, gaining the 60 votes necessary to end any delaying tactics. Several of the GOP presidential candidates had criticized the legislation, which is aimed at averting a catastrophic default, avoiding a partial shutdown and setting government spending priorities for two years.
Obama negotiated the accord with Republican and Democratic leaders who were intent on steering Congress away from the brinkmanship and shutdown threats that have haunted lawmakers for years. Former Speaker John Boehner felt a particular urgency days before leaving Congress, while lawmakers looked ahead to presidential and congressional elections next year.
The opposition was strong in the Senate, and White House hopeful Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., left the campaign trail and returned to the Capitol to criticize the deal as excessive Washington spending.
Still, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the party’s top vote counter, said he was confident it would garner the 60 votes needed to overcome delaying tactics by Paul and another presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.