Senators are worried Congress will shut down over coronavirus

(Image credit: Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images)

published 17 March 2020

Senators feel like they're in a race against time, Politico reports.

Lawmakers from both parties are reportedly discussing the third phase of a coronavirus stimulus package before they've wrapped up phase two. The reason is pretty simple — they don't want to leave anything on the table as the chances increase that they won't be able to reconvene in Washington, D.C., for some time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said they could make the transition as early as this week. "I don't think we can assume that we can keep reconvening the Senate every week like we did this week," Rubio said. "I don't think we can make that assumption. With what might happen to airlines or travel schedules, with individual members having to go into quarantine or being exposed — I don't think we can operate as if we can just bring the Senate and House back whenever we want." Read more at Politico.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox