Sen. Bernie Sanders says Senate Republicans are ‘laughing all the way to Election Day’

Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Sunday that Senate Republicans are “laughing all the way to Election Day” as “they have not had to cast one bloody vote” on the Democrats’ enormous $1.2 trillion social spending and climate package.

Although the package passed in the House, it has not made much progress in the Senate due to opposition from Republicans and centrist Sens. Joe Manchin, Democrat from West Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat from Arizona.

“What has bothered me very much is the Republicans are laughing all the way to Election Day. They have not had to cast one bloody vote…which shows us where they’re at. And we have to change that,” said Sanders to co-anchor Dana Bash during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Sanders urged the Senate to put forward policy initiatives from the social spending and climate package on the floor for votes. That move would force members to take a position on specific proposals.

Sanders added that the Democratic Party can then put together a package full of the proposals that look like they have enough support to pass. He emphasized that some initiatives in the comprehensive bill have support among Americans, but he said the Senate has allowed the Republican Party to “get away with murder” by failing to bring legislation to the floor due to the filibuster rule. 

“I think when you bring bills on the floor – we have allowed the Republicans to get away with murder. They haven’t had to vote on anything. Now, if they want to vote against lowering the cost of prescription drugs, expanding Medicaid, dealing with childcare, dealing with housing, let them vote, and let Manchin and Sinema decide which side they are on,” he said.

“And when all of that shakes out, we’ll see where we are. I have the feeling that we will be able to get 50 votes or more on some of these issues. We could put that piece together and then pass something that’s very significant.”

Disagreements over the spending bills come as the midterm elections near in November.