Stimulus Waits for One Senator

The stimulus bill hangs in wait tonight for a single senator: Sherrod Brown is flying back from his mother's wake in his home state of Ohio to provide the Senate's 60th and final vote on the $787 billion stimulus bill. After the House approved the bill earlier today, the Senate opened voting at 5:30, but with Brown tending to family tragedy and Ted Kennedy tending to personal medical problems, Democrats were only able to rally 59 'yeas' for Obama's legislation. Both Brown and Kennedy have gone to great lengths to make earlier stimulus votes. Brown's vote is necessary to end Senate debate and push the bill onto the President's desk for signing.