"Overall, it's well-balanced and well-structured, with some critical social issues I wanted addressed," said Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, citing funding for low-income energy assistance, community development block grants and alternative minimum tax provisions.

The spending plan -- approved at 1:45 a.m. by a 51-44 largely party-line vote -- had more roll call votes in a single day than the Senate had totaled previously this year.

Senators defeated on a 71-29 vote a proposed one-year earmark moratorium proposed by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. Proponents argued the congressional earmark process had become excessive while opponents said Congress has a constitutional duty to direct federal spending.

Democratic presidential hopefuls Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York, as well as Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee, were in the chamber for at least some of the amendment votes.