House Democrats said Tuesday that they do not plan to return to work from their spring recess until at least May 4th, “absent an emergency” that requires Members to return to Washington, D.C. — and despite claims, made Monday, that Republicans are the ones holding up additional coronavirus relief for small businesses.
“The chamber previously expected lawmakers to return on April 20 after an extended absence. It is unclear if the Senate, which is expected to return to the Capitol next week, will follow suit,” CNBC reported Tuesday.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s (D-MD) issued a statement to House Democrats Tuesday clearing the House’s floor schedule for the rest of April in response to measures designed to slow or halt the spread of coronavirus in the nation’s capital.
“Members are advised that absent an emergency, the House is not expected to meet prior to Monday, May 4, 2020,” the statement read. “Members are further advised that if the House is required to take action on critical legislation related to the coronavirus response or other legislative priorities, Members will be given sufficient notice to return to Washington, DC.”
The short statement does not specify what is considered “critical legislation,” but so far, few Democrats seem to believe “legislation related to the coronavirus response” falls within that category.
Congress left for its spring recess at the end of March after passing a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package that included direct payments to American taxpayers and a $350 billion fund — the Paycheck Protection Program — for low-interest and forgivable loans directed at small businesses shuttered by ongoing coronavirus lockdowns.
Last week, though, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who crafted that relief legislation, told House and Senate Democrats that urgent action is needed on a $250 billion supplement to the Paycheck Protection Program, as banks charged with handling the admissions and lending processes are already reporting running out of designated funds.
McConnell told colleagues that he’d prefer to pass the supplemental aid with unanimous consent in both the House and Senate and Republicans believe the need is so great that it could be a simple, clean bill. Democrats, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) disagreed, telling a press conference last week that, despite clear indications that the fund is running out of money, Democrats have “no data” that indicates a supplemental relief bill is necessary.
Instead, Pelosi and Schumer proposed a more complex piece of legislation, adding billions in handouts to hospitals, healthcare facilities, and city and state governments, all of whom received aid in the third coronavirus relief package and are eligible to recieve additional funds in a fourth coronavirus relief package, currently being drafted by a Pelosi-run committee in the House.
On Monday, the same Democrats issued a warning to the GOP to stop “posturing” on the now-weighty bill.
“We have real problems facing this country, and it’s time for the Republicans to quit the political posturing by proposing bills they know will not pass either chamber and get serious and work with us towards a solution,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a letter.
Republicans called the threat “reckless,” according to CNBC, and are working to pass the clean supplemental bill.