Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., doubled down Monday on his call for another round of $1,200 direct payments to Americans in any bipartisan bill proposing Covid-19 relief aid.
Until the checks are added to the proposal, he’s threatening to keep Congress in session.
Hours before lawmakers went public with a new economic response package — splitting the $908 billion price tag between two bills — Sanders said it is imperative that Americans receive additional federal money as the country heads into winter months in which Covid-19 cases are expected to spike.
“As a result of the pandemic, tens of millions of Americans are facing economic desperation,” Sanders said in a statement. “Congress cannot go home for the Christmas holidays until we pass legislation which provides a $1,200 direct payment to working-class adults, $2,400 for couples, and a $500 payment for their children.
“This is what Democrats and Republicans did unanimously in March through the CARES Act. This is what we have to do today.”
Last week, Sanders and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., threatened to force a Senate vote on whether to approve direct payments to Americans, saying they were prepared to tack it on as an amendment to a one-week stopgap spending bill to avert a federal government shutdown.
On Monday afternoon, the bipartisan lawmakers negotiating the coronavirus response proposal announced two bills. One is a $748 billion package that includes slimmed-down unemployment benefits, money for small businesses, aid for schools, and assistance programs for the transportation and agriculture sectors.
The second measure, at around $160 billion, includes the two measures that Republicans and Democrats disagree on: money for state and local governments and a provision that shields businesses from Covid-19 related lawsuits.
So far, the stimulus package does not include $1,200 checks for Americans, despite calls from progressive lawmakers, and the White House itself proposing payments of $600.
On Sunday, President Trump told Fox News he wants Americans to get another round of stimulus checks.
“I want to see checks for more money than they’re talking about going to people,” Trump said. “I’m pushing it very hard and, to be honest with you, if the Democrats really wanted to do the deal, they’d do the deal.”
Sanders, who is part of the Senate Democratic leadership team, told Politico Monday that he had advised Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to reject the $748 billion proposal, arguing it does not go nearly far enough to help working Americans.
Congress is running out of time to agree on both coronavirus relief and the $1.4 trillion federal government spending bill. The Senate and House of Representatives have until Friday to pass the spending bill or the government will shut down on Saturday.
Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., say they want to combine the Covid-19 relief proposal with the annual budget measure and pass one mammoth package this week.
On Friday, Dec. 11, the House and Senate passed a one-week government funding bill, giving lawmakers until Dec. 18 to agree on Covid-19 relief.
If $1,200 payments are not part of the coronavirus stimulus proposal in four days’ time, Sanders hinted Monday that forcing Congress to vote on the measure Friday is still on the table.
“Congress cannot go home for the holidays unless we pass a $1,200 direct payment to working-class adults and $500 in payments for their kids,” Sanders told Politico. “Congress is not going to go home until we do that.”
