WASHINGTON (AP) - A bill extending tax cuts and unemployment benefits passed the U.S. Senate with broad bipartisan support, though one of 19 "no" votes came from Ohio.
Retiring Republican George Voinovich had said the nation couldn't afford it, so he opposed the measure that cleared the Senate on Wednesday. In a farewell speech earlier in the day, Voinovich warned colleagues that the U.S. fiscal situation was "on life support."
Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown joined 80 other senators in support of the tax package, though he said he wasn't happy with its extension of tax cuts for the wealthy.
In a conference call with reporters, Brown accused Republicans of using "legislative extortion" to get provisions they wanted.
The bill comes before the U.S. House on Thursday.
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