The Hill News

The Senate will vote shortly after noon Wednesday on final passage of the $858 billion tax deal forged by President Obama and Senate Republicans.
 
The package will then go to the House, where Democrats are considering rewriting the provision that would set the estate tax at 35 percent for individual inheritances over $5 million.
 
The Senate will convene at 11 a.m. Wednesday and debate for an hour. Starting at noon, senators will vote on motions to consider amendments sponsored by Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
 
DeMint has offered an amendment that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts permanently. The pending package extends those tax cuts for only two years.
 
Coburn has offered an amendment to fully offset the cost of extending federal unemployment benefits for 13 months. Those extended benefits will cost the treasury $56.5 billion.
 
To vote on those amendments, the Sena! te must suspend the rules â€" a 67-vote threshold, under an agreement set by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).
 
GOP aides said the motions will put Democrats and Republicans on the record about whether to extend the Bush tax cuts permanently and pay for extended unemployment benefits.