A second round of stimulus seemed, just a few weeks ago, to be a possible solution to the ongoing recession caused by the pandemic. However, the unemployment rate for May suggests that the economy is improving, and a second round of stimulus seems uncertain.

With the Heroes Act now in the hands of the Senate, the $3 trillion House bill containing the second round of stimulus was subject to veto. Although there were reports that it would be considered as the final stimulus package, the unemployment rate has dropped 1.4% since April (restoring 2.5 million of the 40 million jobs lost since March), which has weakened the need to re-pay low-income families.

Several states were still facing deadlines and restrictions when the House of Representatives approved the second round of the stimulus package on May 16, up to $1,200 for all eligible individuals and $1,200 for all dependents. But now that all states, including viral hotspot New York, have reopened in some form, the future of the second round of the stimulus package is uncertain.

The improvement in the unemployment rate in May is already being used to undermine the need for the Heroes Act and other major stimulus bills. White House Economic Advisor Stephen Moore said, "The sense of urgency is very much diminished by this report."

The House bill proposed an extension of the $600 bonus for state unemployment benefits, along with the stimulus package2. These federally supported benefits also appear to be problematic given the Senate's alleged attitude toward employment statistics.

Thus, the Senate may propose an alternative to the Heroes Act or drop debate on the bill altogether to focus on civic issues. after the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the resurgence of the "black lives" movement, social distancing and stimulus packages to racial injustice and police brutality, the public discourse has shifted in part.

If the Senate does move to negotiate a second stimulus bill, it will be after July 4 and will focus on support for specific industries, in an interview with Fox Business. Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, discussed other stimulus measures, including tax breaks for restaurants and sports arenas and payroll tax exemptions for workers.

"I personally believe we need to move away from bailouts and aid to more long-term economic growth incentives," Kudlow said.

This comes at a time when many are still asking where the first stimulus checks are in the system. If that's the case, use the IRS Get My Payment stimulus check app online or call the IRS stimulus check phone number to speak with a representative; the USPS Informed Delivery service also provides stimulus check notifications so you can see when your payment arrived you will know when your payment has arrived.

For daily updates on the status of your second stimulus payment, check out our guide on Stimulus 2.