It was a busy day in the Senate yesterday, that chamber voted on two different versions of tax legislation.

With Vice Pres. Biden presiding over the Senate, the lawmakers first cast their votes on the Hatch-McConnell amendment, amendment number 2573. That amendment would have extended tax cuts across the board for American taxpayers.

That Republican-backed amendment was struck down on a vote of 45 yeas to 54 nays. Only one Democrat crossed the aisle to vote for the Republican backed measure, that Senator was Democrat Mark Pryor of Arkansas. Pryor would also vote yes on the Democratic measure later brought up to the Senate. His vote on both bills reflected the fact that he is facing a difficult battle in his reelection this fall.

Independent Senators Sanders from Vermont and Lieberman from Connecticut voted to shut down the Republican bill, as did one Republican, Sen. Collins of Maine.

This first vote on tax cuts occurred at 4:08 PM, close on its heels, at 4:50 PM the vote on the Democratic version of tax cut legislation was taken. That bill, the Middle-Class Tax Cut Act, designated Senate bill 3412, narrowly passed with a vote of 51 in favor to 48 nays. Independent Sen. Sanders from Vermont sided with the Democrats to help pass the bill. Democrats were able to hold on to the votes of two Democratic senators who had voted against a similar bill in 2010. Those senators were Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Manchin is up for reelection this fall, and Nelson is retiring and not seeking another term.

In opposition to the Bill were the rank and file of the Republicans in the Senate. They were joined by independent Sen. Lieberman of Connecticut and Democratic Sen. Webb of Virginia.

Senate Bill 3412 will extend the tax cuts for individuals making $200,000 or less and families that earn $250,000 or less, while ending the tax cuts for earners above those amounts. individuals making $200,000 or more will see their tax rate increased from 33% to 36%. Couples making at least $250,000 and above will see their tax rate jump from 35% to 39.6% in January. That tax hike will affect approximately 2.5 million households, which is roughly 2% of all 140.5 million tax returns. This according to 2009 Internal Revenue statistics.

In response to the vote in the Senate, Pres. Obama had this to say:

“With the Senate’s vote, the House Republicans are now the only people left in Washington holding hostage the middle-class tax cuts for 98% of Americans and nearly every small business owner. The last thing a typical middle class family can afford is a $2,200 tax hike at the beginning of next year. It’s time for House Republicans to drop their demand for another $1 trillion giveaway to the wealthiest Americans and give our families and small businesses the financial security and certainty that they need. Our economy isn’t built from the top-down, it’s built from a strong and growing middle class, and that’s who we should be fighting for.”

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted along party lines voting for the Republican backed version while voting against Senate Bill 3412. Characterizing the lone Democratic vote of Mark Pryor to the Republican backed version of the Bush era tax cuts as bipartisan agreement, Murkowski said in a statement that taxes should not be raised during the biggest economic recession since before Alaska statehood.

Sen. Murkowski also pointed out that the Ernst and Young study showed that if this bill passed it would cost Alaska 1,800 jobs, she also pointed out that last month when Alaska typically adds seasonal jobs, our unemployment rate went up. She went on to say ” we simply can’t afford to undercut our economy is Alaska’s jobless rate is on the rise.”

State economist Neil Fried commented on the Alaska unemployment numbers that were released last Friday by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development Research and analysis Section. Fried pointed out that the state added more jobs in the month of June for total civilian workforce of 375,395. That is an increase from May of this year, as well as an increase from June of last year. he also pointed out that even though more jobs were added to state, there were even more new job seekers, causing a rise in unemployment rates.

Alaska’s Democratic Senator, Mark Begich voted in favor of the Middle-Class Tax Cut Act of 2012.

Begich made this statement after the vote. “I can’t remember when we faced a simpler question,” Begich said. “Should we ask the richest 2 percent to just pay their fair share, carry their own weight, while extending tax relief for 98 percent of Alaskans and all Americans and 97 percent of businesses? I think the answer is easily yes.”

“The tax cuts were scheduled to expire at the end of this year. If that happens, 114 million Americans, including 300,000 families in Alaska, would see their taxes increase by roughly $2,000 next year for a typical family of four.”

“Let me be clear, I don’t begrudge anybody success. If you work hard and earn a million or a billion dollars, that is excellent,” Begich said. “But the fact is there are CEOs today who pay a lower tax rate than teachers and cops. There are hedge fund managers who pay a lower tax rate than fishermen or restaurant owners or truck drivers in Alaska. That makes no sense and isn’t fair.”

The legislation passed today also extends other tax cuts targeted at middle class families including the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the expanded Child Tax Credit, and the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit. It also extends an Alaska-specific provision. It extends tax relief for one year to Alaska Native settlement trusts, effectively allowing lower tax rates on trusts for corporations and shareholders. The trusts provide valuable economic and social benefits to Alaska Natives, including cash distributions to provide for basic needs, scholarships, payments to the elderly, and funeral benefits.

Senate Bill 3412 will now go to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where it has little or no hope of being approved. is expected that the house will reject Obama’s plan and hold its own vote next week on a measure that is similar to the Republican backed tax-cut amendment that failed in the Senate.

House Speaker John Boehner said in response to the Senate vote, ” here in the house, where tax legislation originates under the Constitution, we are going to vote to stop the tax hike. That much is clear.”