Editor's note: Yannan Collins is a consultant with a media background in the United States. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Every summer, the U.S. Congress goes on for the longest recess of the year, which was designed for the legislators to head back to their home states or districts to meet with their constituencies. This year starting July, two chambers go on and off, and U.S. Congress would not be back in full sessions after the Labor Day weekend.

However, the U.S. Congress is already behind on addressing pressing issues caused by the pandemic. Since Congress cannot legislate when its members all leave D.C., as the COVID-19 cases resurge across the country, we may see more chaos in the U.S. this fall.

Except for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, which has been extended for only another five weeks, all bills that require immediate attention were left at a standstill. Among them all, the eviction ban and unemployment benefits are most urgent.

As the eviction ban, cruelest for the low-income and unemployed, expires on July 25, mass evictions will start in late July, pushing tenants into homelessness alongside an ongoing pandemic. Some cities and states, such as California and New York, have extended their ban on evictions, but the lapse of federal protection may result in catastrophic consequences in other states.

Texas, for example, does not anticipate extending any statewide eviction moratorium. Thus, with one of the worst COVID-19 spikes, and the highest of the uninsured rate in the country, homelessness caused by the potential massive evictions may overload the already stressful Texas medical system.

Following the eviction relief, unemployment benefits granted by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will expire on July 31st. Though painted as a victory by Donald Trump, the U.S. unemployment rate of June remains as high as 11.1 percent. Without the foreseeable reopening, shift or hourly workers and gig workers cannot find suitable jobs and thus rely on the unemployment benefits.

Some argue that the employment benefit under the CARES Act is too generous: On top of the state unemployment insurance, the federal government gives 600 U.S. dollars a week for applicants who lost jobs due to the pandemic. Therefore, Senate Republicans introduced a return-to-work bonus, encouraging people to take on jobs.

The paradox is that there are not enough jobs: even with the largest job gain, 4.8 million, in June, now the U.S. still has almost 15 million fewer jobs than in February. For the unemployment reports, the Census Bureau surveyed June 15, before the resurge of the COVID-19. Some businesses, such as bars, have shut down again ever since.

Not mentioning that some open jobs are not safe, because either the positions are easily exposed to COVID-19 or the employers are not taking proper precautions. COVID-19 spread four times faster in Amazon warehouses than in local communities. Amazon still refuses to count and report COVID-19 cases.

Replacing unemployment benefits with back-to-work bonus send one message to people already struggling: risk your life, or you cannot put food on the table.

As the rent protection and unemployment expire, millions of Americans who may already have lost health insurance while losing their jobs may not receive enough unemployment benefit to pay the rent, becoming homeless which further exposes them to COVID-19, then face bankruptcy due to COVID-19 since they don't have health insurance.

One way that can hugely help those soon to be evicted or losing their unemployment is a second round of stimulus package, which has been promised by both Congress and President Trump.

Before the July 4 recess, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "We'll make a final decision on [second stimulus package] in July. I think it is exactly the right time to address this issue."

No. It actually will be too late.

The Senate will not be back in session until July 20, five workdays before rent protection expires, and 10 workdays before unemployment benefits run out. Seemly unlikely, but even Senate could pass the second stimulus check on the very day of July 20 without any further debate, IRS will need at least a week or two to deliver the checks.

Or, the Senate can vote on the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES Act) that has passed in the house in May and that is currently on Mitch McConnell's desk. HEROES Act not only addresses Americans' immediate needs, such as housing assistance and extended unemployment benefits, but also covers issues that can set up for an economic recovery, such as hazard pay and student loan forgiveness.

The Senate Majority Leader refused to bring to the Senate floor.

Unfortunately, HEROES Act is not the only legislation that can help Americans in this pandemic but still sit on Mitch McConnell's desk.

For example, Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act can cover more individuals with pre-existing conditions, better preparing this group of people for a pandemic that is most fatal to them. Re-authorization of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) can provide resources during a pandemic that leads to shelter-in-place order, which drastically raises the domestic violence rate. The list goes on.

Americans already suffered enough from this poor-handled pandemic. The U.S. Congress didn't act fast enough in the past, choose to have the recess this summer and American people may not see anything tangible until September.

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