Franken, Klobuchar react to Senate's 'fiscal cliff' deal

Minnesota's U.S. senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar are sounding off about the Congress' deal Monday night that prevented the country from going over the so-called "fiscal cliff," KARE-TV reports.

The deal -- which was struck three hours before the midnight deadline on New Year's Eve -- calls for middle-class tax rates to remain the same and tax boost for individual wage-earners over $400,000 and couples that earn over $450,000.

Franken said he knew there would have to be compromise, and he "felt this compromise was good enough."

His Democratic counterpart, Klobuchar, acknowledged that there was "a lot more work to do in 2013" and said "we did what was needed to do so we don't put the economy back into a spin."

Democrats had pushed for a tax hike for wage-earners starting at $250,000. Republicans wanted no tax hikes across the board.

The Senate voted 89-8 early Wednesday in favor in bill, including "yes" votes from both Franken and Klobuchar. Part of the deal was a delay in spending cuts in the Pentagon and social programs for two months.

The House finally voted on the bill Tuesday night, but only after efforts by Republican leadership may try to add $330 billion in spending cuts were stifled, the Wall Street Journal reports. The bill passed by a vote of 257 to 167.

The deal also extends federal unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless and prevents a 27 percent cut in fees for doctors who treat Medicare patients.

Bachmann also introduced Legislation that would rescind the part of President Barack Obama's executive order that grants Congress a pay raise starting in March, the Huffington Post reports.

See KARE-TV's video on the fiscal cliff deal below.