The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday night to approve legislation extending the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers. See Robert Schroeder's article for MarketWatch  MarketWatch's Economy & Politics section.

Robert Schroeder is a reporter for MarketWatch in Washington.

By a vote of 98-0, senators approved a bill that would extend the $8,000 home-buyer credit through April 30, 2010.

The bill cleared a final procedural vote Wednesday afternoon.

Lawmakers said the housing provisions would boost the still-weak residential-real-estate market. In addition to extending the first-time-buyer credit, the bill also allows people who have lived in a home for at least five years to claim a $6,500 credit if they buy a new home.

The bill now goes to the House and is expected to move quickly to President Barack Obama's desk.