Sanders steps up push for stimulus checks ahead of rollout of bipartisan relief legislation

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Monday furthered his push for Congress to pass legislation this year to provide Americans with a second round of stimulus payments, as a bipartisan group of lawmakers prepared to roll out legislation that is not expected to include more checks.

“As a result of the pandemic, tens of millions of Americans are facing economic desperation. They can’t afford to pay their rent and face eviction, they can’t afford to go to the doctor, they can’t afford to feed their children and they are going deeper and deeper into debt,” 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 to their children.”

A bipartisan group of House and Senate moderates are expected to unveil their coronavirus relief legislation Monday afternoon. They’re expected to split up their $908 billion package into two bills: a $160 billion proposal that includes aid to state and local governments and liability protections for businesses, and a $748 billion proposal that includes items with broader support such as a second round of the Paycheck Protection Program and funds for vaccine distribution.

The bipartisan group’s offer has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for not including a second round of direct payments to Americans similar to the payments of up to $1,200 per adult and $500 per child that most people received under the CARES Act enacted in March. Sanders has been working with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) to get direct payments added to year-end legislation.

Sanders said in an interview with Politico on Monday that he is urging Democratic leaders to reject the bipartisan group’s legislation. In addition to criticizing the legislation for lacking direct payments, he also said the proposal isn’t big enough. Much of the bipartisan legislation would be funded with money that was provided for in the CARES Act but hasn’t been used.

“What kind of negotiation is it when you go from $3.4 trillion to $188 billion in new money? That is not a negotiation. That is a collapse,” Sanders told Politico.