Stimulus Package Vote On-Hold Until September

After canceling its August recess, in the hopes to strike a deal on the next coronavirus relief package, house leaders postpone the vote until September. This comes after negotiations between Democratic leaders and the White House hit a wall. This leaves no immediate relief to out of work Americans.

Talks remained deadlocked even after President Trump signed a series of sharply criticized executive actions to bypass Congress.

The President’s orders covered four areas:

• Extending supplemental unemployment payments of $400 a week
• Providing student loan relief to borrowers
• Halting evictions
• Deferring payroll taxes

The orders are expected to be challenged in court, and it remains unclear if states will sign on to the President’s plan them to provide $100 of the $400 in weekly unemployment benefits.

According to House Majority Leader Steny, the house will not convene for votes until September 14.  Lawmakers were initially set to return on September 8. Hoyer added that lawmakers would have 24 hours’ notice to return for votes on legislation related to the coronavirus.

When lawmakers return in mid-September, they will run into the deadline to vote on an important bill regarding government spending September which runs outs at the end of the month. Not passing this bill could result in government shuts down. Hoyer said he hopes GOP lawmakers will join Democrats and act to avoid a lapse in government funding.

“I expect the House to take action on a range of important issues, including ensuring the government is funded before the end of the month,” he said. “While the House acted last month to pass funding for nearly every government agency, the Senate has yet to advance a single appropriations measure. We cannot risk a government shutdown in the middle of a pandemic and an economic crisis.