The House passed legislation Wednesday that will avert a devastating rail strike, forcing a tentative labor agreement between rail companies and their workers. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now plans to hold a separate vote to add seven days of paid sick leave to the deal.

The House passed the measure with a 290-137 voting margin, the culmination of days of pleading from President Biden to come together to avoid a holiday-season work stoppage.

One week out from the Dec. 9 strike deadline, 79 Republicans voted in support, while eight Democrats opposed the bill.

Biden met with the four top Congressional leaders Tuesday, seeking to come to terms on a bipartisan agreement that would stave off the impacts of a rail strike that could cost the U.S. economy $2 billion per day.

The bill will now go to the Senate, where leaders are expected to support the bill behind a campaign from the Biden administration to push the legislation through with zero amendments.

"I am grateful to Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats and Republicans for taking urgent action to prevent a rail shutdown," Biden told reporters Wednesday. Biden made it a point to emphasize the speed with which the Senate must move in order to avoid the nationwide strike.

"The Senate must move quickly and send a bill to my desk for my signature immediately," Biden said, adding that "without action this week, disruptions to our auto supply chains, our ability to move food to tables, and our ability to remove hazardous waste from gasoline refineries will begin."

The issue of guaranteed sick pay has been a point of contention for several members of Congress, as well as the primary flashpoint between rail companies and workers. Progressive lawmakers like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington shared their distaste with the agreement that excluded the sick leave benefits.

Sanders shared his thoughts in a tweet, calling the agreement "unacceptable," while Jayapal released a statement Wednesday, saying: "Every worker deserves paid sick leave. I am proud of our efforts to negotiate a deal that guarantees seven days of paid sick leave for our rail workers. I now urge all my colleagues to stand by workers and vote yes for paid sick leave."

Congress holds the authority to intervene in rail labor disputes due to a 1926 law known as the Railway Labor Act. The law is in place to prevent potential disturbances in interstate commerce.

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