The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the Democrat-controlled House's legislative plans this year ahead of the November presidential election.
As Politico noted, the threat to the economy and Americans' health are just two more problems Democrats hope to try to solve. Also on the list are immigration, national security programs, infrastructure and more.
"We have a full agenda that people have been working on for a long time, so it's a continuation of that, but also an intensification," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week, Politico reported.
Compounding the matter is the fact that the House and its 431 members are not yet operating on a normal schedule because of coronavirus restrictions. That has led to bills piling up on Pelosi's desk.
"Clearly, this is a year without precedent. And, of course, many of us know the old adage is 'You can't get anything done in an election year,'" Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., told Politico.
"Nobody, I think, amongst the people with whom I've been working with, believes that we can't get things done. The question is, do we have the fortitude and the intention and the power in collaboration to do so."
The House got further behind earlier this month as it worked out the details of the $3 trillion coronavirus aid package. The chamber passed the measure, but the Republican-controlled Senate has called it a bloated piece of legislation that would not help everyday Americans.
According to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the chamber is slated to hold votes this week and next week on a host of bills.
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