Washington – The No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives announced Monday that the lower house will not return for voting in Washington until mid-September after negotiations between Democratic leaders and the White House on the next coronavirus measure collapsed last week, leaving millions of unemployed Americans without immediate relief.
According to the schedule released Monday by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the House of Representatives will not attend until September 14. Members will work during the home weeks and conduct committee work for the first two weeks of September. Lawmakers were initially scheduled to return Sept. 8.
Hoyer said lawmakers have 24 hours to go back to vote on coronavirus legislation.
“While President Trump stated that ‘it is what it is,’ it is clear that the Trump administration and Republicans have completely failed to bring this virus under control, resulting in devastating economic impacts,” Hoyer said in a statement. “I continue to urge Republicans to work with us to take immediate action to address desperate need during this coronavirus pandemic before we can begin the work period in the August district.”
Last month, House leaders canceled their traditional August recession, saying the room would remain in session pending a deal on the next coronavirus relief package. But talks between Democratic leaders and the White House were adjourned Friday, and President Trump rolled out a series of executive actions over the weekend to bypass Congress.
The mandates cover four areas: extending additional unemployment benefits of $ 400 per week, granting student loans to lenders, stopping evictions and deferring tax breaks. But the action is expected to be challenged in court, and it is unclear whether states will sign up to Mr. Trump for the federal government to provide $ 300 in weekly unemployment benefits and states to provide the final $ 100.
If lawmakers return in mid-September to vote, they will face a deadline to pass a bill on government spending before funding expires in late September and the government closes. Hoyer said he hopes GOP lawmakers will join Democrats and act to prevent an end to government funding.
“I expect the House of Representatives to take action on a variety of key issues, including ensuring that the government is funded by the end of the month,” he said. “While the House of Representatives acted last month to provide funding for almost every government agency, the House of Representatives must take one more step forward. We cannot close the risk of a government in the midst of a pandemic and an economic crisis.”
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