Senate approves stimulus

Officially, it took just over five hours, but at about 10:45 ET Friday night, the Senate vote 60-38 in favor of the stimulus. The bill will now go to President Obama for his signature.

The vote went on for so long because of the absence of Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown, who was home attending his mother's wake. With Ted Kennedy absent due to his illness, Brown's vote was crucial, as he provided the 60th vote needed for passage.

Like the House had earlier, the Senate split almost completely along party lines on the bill. Only three Republicans -- Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania -- voted for it, but they were all that was needed.

― Alex Koppelman