The $908 billion bipartisan coronavirus stimulus bill presented earlier this week is the only legislation that has a "shot of passing," Sen. Bill Cassidy said Thursday.
"If you want to send a message, that's one thing, but if you want to pass a bill, it has to be bipartisan," the Louisiana Republican told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo. "Ours is. Any other bill is just about sending a message. The message we have to send is that Congress cares about the American people and that we can work together to pass a bill. Ours is the only one that can do that."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell quickly shot down the bipartisan bill, continuing his call for a $500 billion, targeted measure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have said they endorse the bill as a negotiating point, but Cassidy said there won't likely be more money.
Meanwhile, Cassidy said he couldn't answer a question about how the U.K. has approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine more quickly than U.S. authorities have
"Pfizer is already shipping the vaccine out to places across the country," said Cassidy. "I spoke to two (doctors) in Louisiana. They both have the deep freezer. They're ready to receive it, presumably with plans to distribute. I hear Dec. 14 is the jumpoff date."
Cassidy, who is a doctor, added that if someone needs a person to take the shot on national television, he will volunteer, even though he's already had COVID and thinks he's immune.
"But if folks need to see that somebody with a medical background that's willing to take it, again, I will take it," he said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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