A $52 billion payout to semiconductor manufacturers cleared a key test vote Wednesday in the Senate, teeing up a legislative win for President Biden as time runs out before Congress takes its August vacation.
The long-stalled bill, which totals $280 billion of spending to boost technology development and compete with China, advanced in a 64-32 vote, overcoming the 60-vote hurdle required to survive in the upper chamber.
Final approval in the Senate is expected later this week.
Months of tense negotiations over partisan differences nearly derailed the legislation. But the final deal now stands ready to deliver a modest win to a White House and Democrats hungry for any sort of legislative victory ahead of the Nov.