Sanders says Democrats have the votes to pass another relief bill

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday said that he believes Senate Democrats have the votes to pass another COVID-19 relief package.

In an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” he was asked by host Martha Raddatz if he believes Democrats have enough votes as bipartisan support for a relief bill appears to dwindle.

“Yes, I believe that we do because it’s hard for me to imagine any Democrat, no matter what state he or she may come from, who doesn’t understand the need to go forward right now in an aggressive way to protect the working families of this country,” Sanders said.

“Look, all of us will have differences of opinion. This is a $1.9 trillion bill. I have differences and concerns about this bill,” Sanders said. 

“But at the end of the day, we’re going to support the president of the United States, and we’re going to come forward, and we’re going to do what the American people overwhelmingly want us to do. The polling is overwhelming. Republicans, Democrats, independents,” the Vermont senator said.

“I believe that we do,” Sen. Bernie Sanders tells @MarthaRaddatz when asked if Democrats have enough votes to pass the COVID-19 relief bill.

Despite “differences and concerns” about the bill, the American people need relief, he adds. https://t.co/0tIupXQlob pic.twitter.com/aGbtmRQ7b1

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 31, 2021

President Biden has stated that he would like to have bipartisan support for the relief bill but has emphasized that a relief bill must be passed “no if, ands or buts.” 

Ten Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), on Sunday proposed their own COVID-19 relief bill. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said on “Fox News Sunday” that the GOP proposal pared down the Biden administration’s proposal from $1.9 trillion to $600 billion.

“We recognize your calls for unity and want to work in good faith with your Administration to meet the health, economic, and societal challenges of the COVID crisis,” wrote the GOP senators in a letter.

–Updated at 4:01 p.m.