The United States Senate passed its version of the hotly debated stimulus bill earlier today on a vote of 61-36.  Although largely divided by party lines, Sens. Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Republicans all, threw their votes in with the Democratic caucus.

With this, the bill is moving forward to a comprimise between the House and Senate versions, and will no doubt continue to be a source of contention and name-calling for the forseeable future.

The story from NBC.