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“Rocky Road Ahead: Third Speaker Vote on the House Floor Today?

Today, the US House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a third round of voting on an additional coronavirus relief package, but a successful outcome is far from assured. As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin continue negotiations and debate over the proposed bill, Pelosi is now set to present an amended version of the bill to the House floor. The bill, which is estimated to cost more than $2 trillion, would provide funding to help support businesses and families affected by the pandemic. It would also include payments to unemployed workers, funding for coronavirus testing, money for schools and universities, and economic aid for hard-hit communities. However, the bill faces significant political obstacles. Pelosi needs 218 votes to pass the bill through the House and President Trump has already stated that he will not sign a bill that is too costly. Republicans are calling for a trimmed-down version of the bill with less spending. Democratic lawmakers are also divided on the issue, particularly over whether money should be allocated for coronavirus vaccine distribution and for more direct payments to Americans. In order to pass the bill, Pelosi is relying on Democratic unity and the support of at least a handful of Republicans. Speaker Pelosi has gathered support from her party’s moderates and progressives, but is struggling to find a consensus among her Democratic colleagues on the bill’s spending. Pelosi is also trying to woo at least seven Republicans who are willing to cast a vote in favor of the bill, but this has proven to be a difficult task. The negotiations have continued in the hopes of finding a compromise package that can pass both the House and Senate. As Pelosi attempts to win over the support of both Democrats and Republicans, the vote today will be an important test of how likely it is that the House will pass an effective coronavirus relief package. Regardless of the outcome, the Speaker and her colleagues will have to continue working to find a way forward and bridge the partisan divide.