This vote was on whether to begin debating the conference report on a consolidated fiscal 2010 appropriations bill, which contains spending directives for an array of federal agencies, including the departments of Commerce, Justice, State, Veterans Affairs, Labor, Heath and Human Services, Education, Transportation and more. This “omnibus” bill was necessitated in part due to the amount of time lawmakers devoted to debating a heath care overhaul during in the waning months of 2009. A conference report represents the deal struck between both the House and Senate when each chamber passes differing versions of the same bill.

Republicans were dissatisfied with the bill in part because of how much money it spends, and in part because its consideration occurred at the same time the Senate had begun debating a contentious health care overhaul bill. Typically bills are brought to the floor through a procedural motion called a “motion to proceed,” which is usually approved by voice vote as a routine matter. However, if a senator wants to hold up consideration, all he has to do is remove his consent – which was the case with this bill. Republicans had threatened to hold up its consideration indefinitely with a filibuster, causing Senate Majority Harry Reid, D-Nev., to file what is known as a “cloture motion,” which, in essence, is a vote on bringing debate on a bill or amendment to a close.

If the Senate votes to “invoke cloture” – or bring debate to a close – then lawmakers must either hold a vote on the legislation, amendment or motion in question, or move on to other business. This type of motion is most often called on contentious legislation where the leadership is concerned that consideration could be held up indefinitely by a handful of senators.

This measure was never seriously in peril, and the vote was mostly symbolic, since a conference report can only either be accepted or rejected; it is not able to be amended by anyone from either party.

By a vote of 56-43, the motion to begin debating the conference report was agreed to. All but three Democrats present voted for the motion. Every Republican present voted against the motion. The end result is that the motion to begin debating the conference report on an omnibus fiscal 2010 spending bill was approved, and the senate began debating the measure itself.