Passed at Last
By a vote of 59 to 39, the Senate tonight passed the financial regulatory reform package it has been debating for the past few weeks. Four Republicans -- Senators Chuck Grassley (IA), Olympia Snowe (ME), Susan Collins (ME), and Scott Brown (MA) -- broke ranks and voted with all but two Democrats to pass the bill. The two Democrats who voted against the bill were Senators Russ Feingold (WI) and Maria Cantwell (WA). The next step in the process will be reconciling the House and Senate-passed bills in a conference committee. The White House and Congressional leadership have said they expect to have the legislation ready for the president's signature by the Fourth of July.
