US Congress abandons return to Washington after lawmakers revolt

The US House of Representatives will not reconvene next week following a revolt from lawmakers who complained that it was too soon to return.

On Monday, members were told to return to the Democratic-controlled chamber.

However, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday the plan was scrapped after consulting the House doctor.

The volte-face came as the confirmed number of US Covid-19 cases passed 1m.

The Republican-controlled Senate still plans to return on 4 May.

“We made a judgement that we will not come back next week but that we hope to come back very soon,” Mr Hoyer said.

Washington DC remains under a stay-at-home order until 15 May. Officials say the infection rate is still climbing.

The Washington DC area, which includes suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, have recorded over 38,000 cases and more than 1,600 have died.

The number of Americans who have tested positive for the virus stood at 1,002,498 on Tuesday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University, and over 56,700 people in the US have died.

Democrat leaders were faced with a backlash from members of their own party over the plans to return next week.

On a private call with House members, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a congresswoman from Florida, told party leaders the plan was “dangerous” and several complained that they had no way of managing childcare, according to the Politico US media outlet.

On Tuesday, Mr Hoyer announced that the return to Washington would be postponed. “The House physician’s view was that there was a risk to members that was one he would not recommend taking,” he said.

However, there is pressure to reconvene the chamber in order to pass key legislation amid the coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump, who called for Congress to return, scorned the decision, saying: “Democrats are enjoying their vacation”.

The questions over how to reopen Congress for business are likely to renew calls for proxy sessions and remote voting, said BBC North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher. Currently, rules prevent members of Congress from voting remotely, though there are efforts to change.