Will the COVID-19 Relief Aid Be Reached This Week?
The White House expressed to reach a relief aid this week before Representatives and Senators leave Washington to focus on their campaigns.
The White House has always been calling for the second round of stimulus payments since the first relief aid, CARES ACT, expired in July. There were a series of negotiations that White House initiated to reach a second round but the Democratic House Speaker rejected the offers made.
As the campaign period nears, members of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives started to clamor and demand House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reach a deal within this week. The Democrats started to have tensions within their rank.
One of the reasons seen why Pelosi seems not interested to reach a deal with the White House and Trump's administration is because it will help boost Pres. Trump's reelection bid. Meanwhile, the Democratic candidates who are in a tight race are afraid to have a campaign without bringing the good news about the stimulus.
For days, members of the House have been asking Pelosi that she needs to act on a bill. She felt the mounting pressure from her rank after the Problem Solvers Caucus drafted their own stimulus bill worth $1.5 trillion. Additionally, over 100 Democratic Representatives also wrote a letter to Pelosi and demanded her the same action.
This week both the House of Senate and Congress will convene to deliberate on the floor a relief aid that worth between $2.2 to $2.4 trillion. The relief aid includes stimulus checks, PPP loans, a fund for airline industries, and more. Both chambers want to deliver the needs of millions of Americans before the election.
According to a published article in Reuters, Pelosi said "We are having our conversations. And when I have a conversation with the administration, it is in good faith. I trust (Treasury) Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin to represent something that can reach a solution. And I believe we can come to an agreement."
She said this after Pres. Trump said last week that he is willing to come up with a larger stimulus. Pres. Trump even said that he will convince the Republicans to embrace the larger amount. The U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has always been optimistic about a new round of relief aids.
The fact is the Internal Revenue Service is already prepared to send stimulus checks and other relief money. The agency is just waiting for a green light from the Congress and Senate as to when the money will be sent. IRS already said that their system is already in place and ready anytime to send the relief aids.
Moreover, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal on Thursday also confirmed that Congress is more likely to unveil the relief aids and measures this week. Days after, Pelosi said that she will offer the legislation in the coming days.
Hopefully, the new relief aid will pass the Congress and Senate this week. The nearest time that Pres. Trump will sign the bill into law will be Oct.2 and the IRS can start sending the money in a week ending Oct.12.
Check these out!
- Republicans, Democrats Agree to Send New Stimulus Checks
- Will Congress Approve the Stimulus Bill Next Week?
- Trump Turns to Executive Orders to Help More Families