WASHINGTON-Within an hour after the U.S. House passed the payroll tax cut, the Senate did likewise on a 60-36 passing vote. The legislation now goes to the desk of the President for signing.

Unlike many of the Republican Senators who cast their vote against the bill, Senator Lisa Murkowski today cast her vote in favor of extending the payroll tax cut provision for 160 million working Americans for the rest of 2012, as well as continuing Medicare reimbursements to doctors and a modification of the unemployment benefit program.

Senator Murkowski had this to say on her vote, “I reluctantly voted to extend the temporary payroll tax cut for the rest of the year, but I did so because it means about $1,000 a year on average – and will continue to help Alaskans fill their tanks and heat their homes,” said Murkowski. “This provision was always meant to be temporary, but with the economy still struggling and millions of Americans working to make ends meet, now is not the time to make the hill they climb steeper.”

Representative Young voted for passage earlier in the House today. Senator Begich voted for passage along with Senator Murkowski in the Senate.