BREAKING: Pence Breaks Tie In The Senate To Advance The Spending Bill

This just in. Vice President Mike Pence just broke the tie to advance the spending bill, which includes $5.7 billion for the wall.

After keeping the vote open for five hours to secure enough support, the Senate finally advanced a House-approved spending bill with $5.7 billion for a border wall, after Vice President Mike Pence went to the Capitol to break a tie. That procedural hurdle paves the way for a final vote in the Senate.

If Congress doesn’t pass a spending bill by midnight, a partial government shutdown will go into effect.

Democrat Doug Jones voted with Republicans. Flake also changed to a “yes,” which makes him slightly less useless than usual.

Pence breaks tie to get Senate onto House approved spending bill
Vice President Pence has just broken a 47-47 tie in the Senate on the motion to proceed to the House approved spending bill with the money for the wall.

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 21, 2018

The vote was 48-47 with Pence’s ballot &was the longest vote in Senate history.

Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) voted yes as did Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), which was key.

McConnell:
When an agreement is reached it will receive a vote here on the floor

Senate now formally on the bill

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 21, 2018

Big flurry of votes now on the Senate floor; Flake changes from No to Yes. Corker votes Yes – now tied at 47-47.

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 21, 2018

Jones D-AL votes "Aye" – the only Democrat to do that on the motion to proceed. VP Pence breaks the tie.

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 21, 2018

McConnell says it's up to Democrats to cut a deal with the President. There seems to be no deal in sight.

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 21, 2018

Corker with interesting comments on the floor on efforts to reach a 'global' deal; Flake emphasizes the next vote will be on an agreement. No test votes. No cloture votes.

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 21, 2018

Flake: "There is no path forward for the House bill"

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 21, 2018

Oh. Mmmkay.

BOTTOM LINE: There is no deal. But there are talks.

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 21, 2018

Meanwhile…

Some of the many Bills that I am signing in the Oval Office right now. Cancelled my trip on Air Force One to Florida while we wait to see if the Democrats will help us to protect America’s Southern Border! pic.twitter.com/ws6LYhKcKl

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018

Tick tock.