Second stimulus check: what did democrats say in DNC 2020?
Congress failed to draft and approve the fifth stimulus relief package before the summer break leaving uncertainty amongst Americans about a second stimulus payment.
Last week Congress failed to reach an agreement about the fifth stimulus relief package, which, among other measures, was expected to include a second round of stimulus payments amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Republicans and Democrats can’t seem to agree on a single bill and after departing for recess are now not set to resume talks until September.
Currently both parties are occupied in setting their respective national conventions, which means people in the United States may have to wait even longer for the second stimulus payment. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that members would return to vote if negotiators strike an agreement.
Democratic National Convention (DNC)
The DNC started in a virtual manner on Monday night due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Democrats are firm on their stance about not starting a negotiation about the stimulus relief package if Republicans don’t increase their offer from $1 trillion.
With much of the attention is towards the presidential elections and Nancy Pelosi said that she does not know when both sides will resume the talks about the stimulus relief package. Since both sides can’t come to an agreement, President Donald Trump decided to sign four executive orders earlier this month that would extend parts of the first stimulus bill, but it doesn’t include a second round of stimulus payment.
Congress is set to return in September to Washington to resume negotiations and President Donald Trump has not made it clear when these orders will go into full effect. These leaves millions of Americans uncertain about when will the second round of payments be sent amid the pandemic, although there is an expectation that the process will be slicker.
Pelosi updates position
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday that Democrats in Congress are willing to cut their coronavirus relief bill in half to get an agreement on new legislation with the White House and Republicans.
'We have to try to come to that agreement now,' Pelosi said in an online interview with Politico. 'We're willing to cut our bill in half to meet the needs right now. We'll take it up again in January. We'll see them again in January. But for now, we can cut the bill in half.' But her remarks did not signal a new position for Democrats, according to a senior aide. The Democratic-led House passed legislation with over $3 trillion in relief in May.
This month, Democrats offered to reduce that sum by $1 trillion, but the White House rejected it. The two sides remain about $2 trillion apart, with wide gaps on funding for schools, aid to state and local governments, and enhanced unemployment benefits.