Sanders tells Republicans to agree to coronavirus bill on the table or he'll delay it

Presidential candidate and Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday vowed to hold up the Senate’s pending, $2 trillion coronavirus spending bill, telling chamber Republicans to drop their objections to the legislation or he’ll try to amend it. 

"Unless Republican Senators drop their objections to the coronavirus legislation, I am prepared to put a hold on this bill until stronger conditions are imposed on the $500 billion corporate welfare fund," tweeted Sanders, a democratic socialist.

The Senate has tried for days – including two failed votes – to pass the legislation to help American families and businesses struggling financially from the pandemic.

Senate and White House negotiators reached a deal early Wednesday morning on the bill, with a final chamber vote set for Wednesday afternoon.

GOP senators have raised last-minute objections to spending and language in the bill that they calculate will make remaining unemployed from the virus more cost beneficial than coming back to work.