Reacting to Republican Threats to Hold Coronavirus Package Hostage, Sanders Prepared to Place Hold Over Corporate Welfare

WASHINGTON, March 25 — Unless Senators Graham (R-S.C.), Sasse (R-Neb.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) drop their anti-worker objections to fast-tracking the emergency coronavirus legislation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today that he is prepared to put a hold on this legislation to impose strong conditions on the $500 billion corporate welfare fund:

“In my view, it would be an outrage to prevent working-class Americans to receive the emergency unemployment assistance included in this legislation. Unless these Republican Senators drop their objections, I am prepared to put a hold on this bill until stronger conditions are imposed on the $500 billion corporate welfare fund to make sure that any corporation receiving financial assistance under this legislation does not lay off workers, cut wages or benefits, ship jobs overseas, or pay workers poverty wages.”