Late last night, Congress passed a new economic stimulus package. It includes rebates for most people But it doesn’t include a number of key programs supported by Senate Democratic leaders and Independent senator Bernie Sanders.
These programs would have allocated more money for low income heating assistance, extended unemployment benefits and provided additional funds to repair the country’s transportation infrastructure.
The bill is very similar to legislation passed by the House several weeks – when that bill passed a number of senators argued it didn’t go nearly far enough in meeting the needs of the American people:
(Sanders) "So what you see is a start in the House in my view it is going to undergo very significant changes here in the Senate we’re going to make it stronger we are going to make it better the goal is to help those people most in need who are then going to spend the money creating a ripple effect on the economy."
Why did the Senate drop its fight for a larger economic package? Today on Vermont VPR’s Bob Kinzel talks with Senator Bernie Sanders about this and many other issues.