Democratic Sen. Mark Warner challenges Bernie Sanders, Mitch McConnell on bipartisan relief bill opposition

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is not a fan of the $908 billion pandemic relief bill that was put together by a bipartisan group of senators and subsequently received a nod of approval from Democratic congressional leadership.

Sanders said he won't vote for the bill if it ever comes to the floor, taking particular issue with the liability provision, which he argues gives "100 percent legal immunity to corporations whose irresponsibility has led to the deaths of hundreds of workers." But his Democratic colleague, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who was part of the negotiating team that crafted the framework, told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that Sanders had mischaracterized the bill.

The main purpose of the package, Warner said, is to give states "some level of time out" to set their own coronavirus standards and serve as a holdover until a more comprehensive bill is put together. In the meantime, he questioned how politicians from either party could tell small business owners, unemployed workers, and people struggling to pay their rent that a $908 billion package wasn't enough for four months of emergency aid.

Later in the State of the Union interview, Warner said he'd ask Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose position on the proposal is unclear, a similar question.

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