Congress has not finished its work on a new COVID-19 pandemic relief package, critical to respond to the dual public health and national economic emergencies.

After months of inaction, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has finally released a COVID-19 relief package called the “HEALS Act,” but it falls far short of what’s needed.

The House Appropriations Committee has worked in a bipartisan manner to pass all 12 of its fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending bills out of committee.

Even though the fiscal situation has gotten worse, the Senate has still not acted.

It has been more than a month and a half since the House passed the “Heroes Act” (H.R. 6800) on May 15.

The House of Representatives approved along party lines the “Washington, D.C. Admission Act” (H.R. 51), which would establish statehood for Washington, D.C., and make it the 51st state.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee began marathon consideration of the “Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act” (H.R. 2).

On Monday, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), along with Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerold Nadler (D-N.J.), introduced the “Justice in Policing Act of 2020.”

The House late Friday passed the "Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act," or The Heroes Act (H.R. 6800), and is sending it to the Senate.

House Democrats are working on the next COVID-19 relief package and a vote could take place in the House as early as next week.