Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders warned on Sunday that Democrats were ready to use a rare Congressional process to approve President Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package.
Sanders, the next chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said on CNN that Democrats will employ the measure – known as reconciliation – “as soon as possible” if Republicans do not support the bill.
“What we cannot do is wait weeks and weeks and months to move forward. We have to act now, ”he said of“ State of the Union ”.
The procedural tactic would allow the legislation to pass the Senate by a simple majority of 50, plus Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaker vote, instead of the 60 votes normally required.
Republicans used the Senate rule in 2017 to pass a tax reduction law and in an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Sanders, an independent who agrees with Democrats, said the party would employ reconciliation to “pass legislation desperately needed by working families in this country now”.
“I criticized the Republicans for using reconciliation to provide tax breaks to billionaires …” he said. “And if they want to criticize me for helping to feed hungry children – or elderly citizens in this country who are isolated and alone and don’t have enough food, they can criticize me.”
“I think it is the right step forward.”
Sanders emphasized the urgency of approving the COVID-19 package, saying: “If we don’t respond now, yes, I believe that in two years’ time Republicans will say, ‘Hey, you elected these guys, they didn’t do anything, vote for us,’ and they will win. “
“The American people are suffering and want us to act.”