WASHINGTON, December 31 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced on Thursday that he will challenge Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring his own legislation to the floor, in addition to the bill passed by the House of Representatives with support from 44 Republicans and 231 Democrats to give working-class Americans $2,000 direct payments, for an up-or-down vote.

“The working class of America is facing more economic desperation than at anytime since the Great Depression,” Sanders said. “They need our help and they need it now. I’m offering a compromise path forward to resolve our current impasse and give Americans the vote they deserve on direct payments. Tomorrow, we should vote on the McConnell bill and the House-passed bill. What objection could Leader McConnell have for not voting on his own bill?”

McConnell’s legislation was introduced after the Republican Leader told the Senate that he would prioritize moving a package of President Trump’s priorities, including $2,000 direct payments. Packaging a repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and a Congressional inquiry into supposed voter fraud in addition to direct payments, McConnell announced that “those are the three important subjects the president has linked together. This week, the Senate will begin a process to bring these three priorities into focus.”

Sanders responded: “McConnell began the process on Tuesday, and he should finish that work by putting his bill on the floor of the U.S. Senate for consideration before we go home for the New Year.”

Sanders will ask for unanimous consent to bring both pieces of legislation up for a vote on Friday afternoon.