Biden said "help is on the way" and called on Congress to pass a "robust" COVID-19 relief package while unveiling his administration's economic team.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Friday he cannot support a bipartisan $908 billion coronavirus relief proposal revealed this week "unless it is significantly improved.".

The $908 billion proposal is intended as a temporary relief package and was proposed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Sens.

"Given the enormous economic desperation facing working families in this country today, I will not be able to support the recently announced Manchin-Romney COVID proposal unless it is significantly improved," Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats and is a prominent progressive lawmaker, said in a statement. .

Given the enormous economic desperation facing working families in this country today, I can't support this proposal unless it is significantly improved.

Angus King, I-Maine, who also caucuses with Democrats, said the "whole idea" of the proposal was something that would "work for a substantial majority of both houses," even if it's "not entirely satisfactory to everybody." .

with record-breaking levels of hospitalization and death, the Manchin-Romney proposal not only provides no direct payments to working families, it does nothing to address the health care crisis and has totally inadequate financial assistance for the most vulnerable," Sanders said

Josh Hawley, R-Mo., broke with many of his Republican colleagues, saying he won't support a bill unless it includes a new round of the $1,200 checks

Congress has not passed a comprehensive relief package since March, and as case totals climbed and benefits lapsed, Democrats and Republicans were unable to come together on another deal. The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate offered their own versions of legislation and negotiations continued between the White House and Democratic leaders, all to no avail. 

The proposal includes funding for state, local and tribal governments, a federal boost in unemployment insurance, small-business support programs, funding for the U.S