So the Senate was still conducting business - 15 hours of debate…
So where were the rest of the Senators ?
They needed just one republican. Cruz was on duty. You have to have one nay to make them call for a roll call vote. And that has to be scheduled. So as long as one sure republican is there its stopped. Schumer may have been hoping. But he was pretty sure a republican Nay vote was going to show up.
They were probably lied to and led to believe they were done for the night and the Senate would not be conducting any more business.