Democrats a No as Resolution to End Covid-19 Emergency Declaration Passes Senate in Party-Line Vote

Kipp JonesMar 3rd, 2022, 6:14 pm
 

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A resolution to end the Covid-19 emergency after two years passed in the Senate on Thursday along party lines, with Democrats united against it.

The resolution passed 48-47. Every Republican present voted to end the state of emergency first declared by former President Donald Trump 24 months ago.

Five Senators did not vote on the measure.

Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Jim Inhofe (R-OK). Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) were each absent.

Feinstein’s husband, Richard Blum, died on Sunday following a prolonged battle with cancer.

C-SPAN’s Craig Caplan reported that a resolution put forth by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) was voted on.

Caplan noted that the resolution is fated to die in the House. The White House also opposes ending the emergency declaration.

Marshall said ahead of the vote, “I would ask [President Joe Biden] to listen to the people and end this declaration of emergency.”

Despite the fact that the vote was party-line, the Kansas Republican took to Twitter to argue that it was indicative that the Senate had “spoken.”

“The Senate has spoken,” he wrote. “We are ready to end the COVID national emergency like more than a majority of Americans. Hope our House colleagues join us in returning the ability to make decisions related to the virus back to the American people.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered no indication on Thursday that she intends to put the measure up for a vote.

The Hill reported Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the resolution was doomed to go “nowhere.”

“This proposal to hinder our COVID preparedness is as damaging and risky as it is unnecessary and it should be voted down,” he said.” It is going nowhere if it passes.”

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