Sanders: Democrats will pass 'massive stimulus bill' if party flips the Senate

Authored by thehill.com and submitted by relevantlife
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Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersBiden endorses Texas Democratic House candidate Julie Oliver Ocasio-Cortez rolls out Twitch channel to urge voting Calls grow for Democrats to ramp up spending in Texas MORE (I-Vt.) pledged Thursday that Democrats will pass a huge coronavirus relief package if they win the Senate in next month's elections.

“If the Democrats gain control of the Senate, the first order of business will be a massive stimulus bill to protect desperate working people throughout this country,” Sanders said on Hill.TV’s “Rising.”

The remarks come as Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiTrump and advisers considering firing FBI director after election: WaPo On The Money: Power players play chess match on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi bullish, Trump tempers optimism | Analysis: Nearly 1M have run out of jobless benefits Overnight Health Care: CDC expands definition of 'close contact' after COVID-19 report | GOP coronavirus bill blocked in Senate | OxyContin maker agrees to B settlement with Trump administration MORE (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Steven Terner MnuchinTrump and advisers considering firing FBI director after election: WaPo Trump casts doubt on hopes for quick stimulus deal after aides expressed optimism Power players play chess match on COVID-19 aid MORE press on in their negotiations on COVID-19 aid. Pelosi has stuck to her position that a stimulus package must total at least $2.2 trillion, while the administration has inched up to $1.8 trillion.

Both sides have said progress has been made in the past week, though no final legislation has materialized.

President Trump Donald John TrumpJudge rules to not release Russia probe documents over Trump tweets Trump and advisers considering firing FBI director after election: WaPo Obama to campaign for Biden in Florida MORE has urged the two sides to “go big,” but disagreements have emerged over aid to state and local governments, which the president calls a slush fund to bail out what he says are poorly run Democratic localities.

And Republicans in the Senate have expressed pessimism that they can get enough votes to pass a bill that goes beyond $500 billion due to concerns in the conference over the ballooning national debt.

Sanders said Senate Republicans’ hesitation to go for anything larger than $500 billion is “pathetic” but that he too has concerns over a potential bill, saying a deal must include a boost to unemployment benefits and another round of stimulus checks.

“It’s not just a number, 1.8 or 2.2 or whatever it is, it is what is in the bill. I am concerned about a slush fund that the Trump administration would have within that bill. I am very concerned that when we have millions of people who have lost their jobs, they desperately need that $600 supplement to their unemployment, they need that $1,200 check, they need health care, they need to be able to pay their rent,” he said. “So the devil is in the details in terms of what is in the bill.”

Real-fake-account on October 22nd, 2020 at 17:50 UTC »

I could die happy if I ever hear the words “Senate Majority Leader, Bernard Sanders”.

jackp0t789 on October 22nd, 2020 at 17:38 UTC »

In any case, we'll have to wait until late January when the new Democratic Senators are sworn in along with Biden, then we'd have to wait potentially another few months before that bill is signed into law and those checks are sent out, let alone arrive...

In that time we've got to worry about how Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December Holidays will effect the progression of the pandemic, and honestly it doesn't look good.

By the time we might get the relief that Mitch McConnel has been holding hostage for months, tens of thousands more people will die, lose their jobs, health insurance, homes, and god knows how much else...

IDK_SoundsRight on October 22nd, 2020 at 17:33 UTC »

Bernie has always gave a damn. Which is why the DNC won't touch him... Bernie cares about the people. DNC cares about the power and money.

Edit: spelling