Bernie Sanders Says Democrats Can’t Break Stimulus Check Promises As GOP Pushes Smaller Compromise Bill - Forbes

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Topline

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) emphasized on Sunday that the Democratic Party, which won control of the Senate on a platform of aggressive and immediate coronavirus relief legislation, needs to “act now” to pass that legislation and keep its promises, even if it means moving forward without the Republican support that President Joe Biden has repeatedly pushed for.

Key Facts

“The issue is not bipartisanship, Sanders said in a Sunday interview on ABC’s This Week, “the issue is, are we going to address the incredible set of crises and the pain and the anxiety which is in this country?”

Sanders has repeatedly said he supports passing the legislation through special budget reconciliation rules that wouldn’t require any Republican votes, and that while he would be willing to work with Republicans on a bipartisan bill, the need is too urgent for Democrats to wait.

Sanders added that he is “absolutely confident” that Democrats will be able to pass their stimulus agenda via reconciliation, which will require all 50 Democrats to vote yes, despite reservations from more centrist Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

His comments come as some Republicans are pushing back on Biden’s aggressive $1.9 trillion stimulus plan because of its steep price tag and proposing smaller, more targeted direct payments to help keep costs down.

A group of ten Senate Republicans said Sunday that they are working on a $600 billion compromise plan that would include direct payments of $1,000 (rather than the $1,400 Biden has proposed) with a reduced income threshold for individuals and families ($50,000 and $100,000, respectively, down $75,000 and $150,000).

Key Background

Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who won Senate runoffs in Georgia in January and shifted control of that chamber to Democrats, both publicly supported sending $2,000 checks to Americans during their campaigns. In the final days before those elections, President Biden said that victory for Democrats would mean that $2,000 stimulus checks would be sent out “immediately.”

Crucial Quote

“You can’t campaign on a series of issues and then after the election, when you get in power say, ‘oh well, you know what, we’re changing our mind,’” Sanders said Sunday. That’s not the way it works. We made promises to the American people and we’re going to keep those promises.”

Tangent

While some Republicans look to cut smaller stimulus checks to fewer Americans, a group of 50 House Democrats urged President Biden last week to consider including recurring direct payment in the next round of federal aid legislation. “One more check is not enough,” the lawmakers wrote.