Harris casts first tie-breaking votes

Vice President Harris cast her first tie-breaking votes early Friday morning helping Senate Democrats pass a budget resolution that greenlights them passing coronavirus relief without GOP support.

Harris arrived in the chamber, swapping out with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who had been presiding. The two exchanged an elbow bump and chatted briefly.
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Harris then presided over the Senate for three votes, breaking ties on two of them.

Harris cast her first tie-breaking vote on a final amendment from Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Republicans said the Democratic proposal stripped out three GOP amendments and opposed it resulting in a 50-50 tie.

"On this vote, the yeas are 50, the nays are 50. The Senate being equally divided, the vice president votes in the affirmative and the amendment is agreed to," Harris said.

Harris then cast a second tie-breaking vote on the final passage of the budget resolution. Every Democrat voted for the proposal, while all Republicans voted against it. Because the Senate is evenly split 50-50 that resulted in the tie.

Harris's tie-breaking votes appear to be the earliest time in modern history that a vice president has had to break a tie. LINK