WASHINGTON, January 1 — Reacting to Senate Republicans’ refusal to provide unanimous consent for a motion by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) seeking up-or-down votes on two bills providing $2,000 in direct economic relief to working-class families today, including Majority Leader McConnell’s own proposal, Sanders issued the following statement:

“Over the past four days I have asked, time and time again, for the Republican leadership to allow the Senate to vote on legislation that passed the House to provide a $2,000 direct payment to working class adults and their kids. This is legislation that Trump supports, Biden supports, and over two-thirds of the U.S. House supported — including 44 Republicans. In fact, a recent poll suggests that 78% of the American people support that approach. Unfortunately, Mitch McConnell and the Republican leadership have refused to allow the Senate to vote on this bill, even when accompanied by a vote on the bill which they themselves proposed.

“At a time when so many Americans are facing economic desperation, it is tragic that the Republican leadership has turned their backs on the working families of this country. When the Biden Administration assumes office, the Senate must immediately take up and pass bold legislation which deals with the economic pain that so many Americans are experiencing.”

Watch today’s floor remarks by Sanders here.