States And Local Governments Receive Largest Share Of Biden’s COVID Relief Funds

According to figures released on Monday, two years following the implementation of U.S. President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP), the program has delivered over 10.3 million payments to needy renters and assisted over 30,000 state and local governments.

Treasury said 99% of the $350 billion of ARP money set aside for state and local authorities and Tribal governments has been delivered, and states have already budgeted for 90% of those funds, although funds may flow out over time.

New Treasury data through the end of December show that $24.3 billion has been budgeted for 7,000 big infrastructure initiatives in broadband, water and sewer, expanding high-speed internet access for over 1.4 million families and businesses, with nearly $16 billion budgeted for 2,100 housing projects.

Additional budget plans by states and local governments include $12 billion for 5,300 public health projects and $11 billion more for 3,500 workforce development projects training workers for new, higher-paying jobs, Treasury said.

Biden’s COVID relief package passed without any Republican votes, raising the prospect that Republican-controlled states and local governments could refuse to participate, as they did with Medicaid funds under former President Barack Obama.

But Treasury data show both Democratic- and Republican-controlled states and local governments have tapped ARP funds to provide pandemic relief and invest in projects with long-term impact, such as boosting access to high-speed Internet.

Wyoming’s Republican Governor Mark Gordon last month announced his statement had been awarded $70.5 million in ARP funds to build broadband infrastructure in locations that lack access to adequate service, bringing high-speed internet to an estimated 11,700 Wyoming homes and businesses.