During a campaign livestream Sunday night, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) railed against a $1.8 trillion package meant to prop up the economy and deliver relief from the coronavirus pandemic.
“I do have to say that I was really stunned to read aspects of the Republican bill that has been proposed,” he told his viewers.
But an hour earlier, when that same bill came up for a key vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Sanders was nowhere to be seen. Unlike most of his colleagues, who were in Washington, D.C., Sanders was back home in Vermont, preparing to address supporters from his Burlington campaign office.
Republicans needed 60 votes on Sunday to advance the bill, which would provide $1,200 cash payments to most Americans, extend unemployment benefits, and bail out businesses, states and local governments. The procedural vote ended in a 47-47 tie. Vermont’s other U.S. senator, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), opposed it.
Of the six senators who missed the vote, five were self-quarantining because they either tested positive for the new coronavirus or had close contact with someone who had. The sixth was Sanders.
A spokesperson for the senator did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday night on his absence.
Over the past two weeks, as the pandemic has ruled out campaign rallies, Sanders has held a series of live-streamed events — often featuring activists, politicians and live music. Sunday night’s event included a performance by Grandson and remarks by three prominent supporters of his presidential campaign: Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
“What we’re seeing today with the Senate GOP bill is just a complete mockery of public service,” Ocasio-Cortez said during the event.
Sanders has continued holding such events even since his campaign manager announced last week that Sanders was planning to “assess” his continued presence in the race.
Sanders’ campaign has kept him out of the Capitol for much of the past year. According to GovTrack, a nonpartisan research organization, he missed more than 94 percent of roll-call votes from last July through last September and 100 percent of votes from October through December. From January of this year until last week, he missed nearly 53 percent of votes.
The legislation currently under consideration by the Senate would be the third coronavirus relief package passed by Congress. Sanders missed the vote on the first but was present for the vote on the second.
Sanders certainly made clear Sunday night how he felt about the third package.
“We need policies now which benefit the working families of this country, that benefit low-income people, that benefit the most vulnerable,” he said. “We’re not here to give handouts to large corporate interests without any strings attached.”
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I am absolutely dumbfounded. He has had such a stellar record of being present for senate roll call votes for the last five years. Shocking.
Time for Bernie to live up to his duties as a U.S. Senator. The campaign is dead in the water. Get behind Biden and do the country a great favor.
Bernie has spent considerable energy raising over TWO MILLION DOLLARS – So far – for Americans who will be financially slammed as a consequence of this virus.
NOTE: The vote was one to CLOSE discussion of a proposed law. Further discussion WAS needed. Bernie did not have to be there for that vote. Was not going to vote to close the needed discussion. He knows these details – unlike the author of this article, unlike many of those leaving comments.
AND Barbara Alsop HOW DO YOU KNOW BERNIE WILL RETURN- HE HAS SHOVED THIS JOB ASIDE- LIKE HE DID THE LAST TIME HE RAN. yet vermont votes him in again
The Democrats voted no on the Republican bill because it was also a slush fund to also bail out the big corporations which is not necessary! It should only be for small businesses, people, hospitals, unemployment, the homeless and jobs. They also didn’t have a say in the negotiations.
A real leader, one actually qualified for the office of President would be in Washington, leading.
I expect a reporter of Paul Heinz’ caliber to understand the nature of a cloture vote. It is a vote to close discussion of a proposed law. The ONLY votes that count on a cloture action are YES votes, since the proponent of cloture must obtain 60 votes. When it is clear that the proponent, as in this case, does not have 60 votes, it is not uncommon for “no” votes to be absent for any number of reasons. Bernie was clearly a “no” vote and his failure to be there was of literally NO consequence. To frame this as an important vote worth getting lathered up over is to mislead your readers.
It should be noted that Bernie will return to Washington for the actual important votes on this bill.
Sanders was conspicuously absent from the vote in DC because he purposely stayed away to preserve and maintain his fragile health that is the elephant in the room with him. If he is not up to the risks and rigors of helping the Nation get through this crisis by participating in Washington with the rest of the elected officials as a part time Senator at this time then how can he possibly be up to the challenge and health risks of being President of the United States on a full time basis?
Is he there for today’s vote or is he still AWOL from his duties without good reason?
Hmmm…So, if Sanders actually disagreed with the bill, what could he do, that might appease the above critics? Perhaps he is correct, that the bill is big for business, bad for the rest of us. Is that not a possibility?
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