President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) was crucial in supporting families in 2021 and is continuing to fund recovery efforts in local communities across the country nearly 10 months after its passage in Congress.
Thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan, a record 13.8 Million Americans enrolled in health insurance coverage and benefited from lower costing premiums through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Additionally, thanks to the Child Tax Credit funded by the ARP, the share of food insecure families with children dropped from 28.6% in May and June 2021, before the checks went out, to 22.4% in July and August. According to an analysis of the ARP by the Roosevelt Institute, “Because of the American Rescue Plan and other investments, the bottom 50 percent of households now have more than $3 trillion in wealth — that’s up nearly 20 percent from early 2021, and up 63 percent from pre-pandemic levels. In September 2021, families’ cash balances were between 40 and 70 percent higher than they were pre-pandemic.”
With 2022 underway, ARP funds are continuing to be used to invest in Americans and revitalize state and local communities. Just this month, the White House announced it would allocate $1 billion in ARP funding to support independent meat and poultry producers to increase competition in the meat processing industry and reduce prices for American consumers. In Florida, Republican Governor Ron Desantis has proposed using $3.5 billion in ARP funds for a gas tax break and $1,000 bonuses for police and teachers. And in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, more than $2.9 million in loans were given to small businesses affected by the pandemic thanks to ARP funding.
See more examples of how the American Rescue Plan is continuing to benefit Americans below:
HELP IS HERE STATE AND LOCAL STORIES:
Navajo council votes to send big checks to tribal members. [KOB 4, 12/30/2021]
AK: Pandemic relief will help build new homes in overcrowded Bering Straits communities. [WTOO, 12/22/2021]
AL: Alabama gets $97 million to help low-income residents keep the heat on. [AL.com, 01//07/2022]
AL: Council gives Ladd board $160,000 for marketing. [Lagniappe Weekly, 12/07/2021]
AZ: Arizona airports get millions more in federal relief funds. [KJZZ, 01/04/2022]
AZ: SINEMA, KELLY: OVER $28 MILLION AWARDED TO PHOENIX-AREA AIRPORT. [Sinema.Senate, 12/16/2021]
CA: Marin County allocates $500K for homeless camps. [The Marin County Journal, 12/23/2021]
DE: Wilmington receives $55M in ARPA funding to counter pandemic-caused shortfalls. [WDEl, 12/10/2021]
FL: Seminole County commissioners to approve nearly $3 million to help homeless shelter. [WFTV, 12/07/2021]
GA: Dougherty County commission approves distribution of 10,000 home COVID-19 tests. [WFXL, 01/04/2022]
GA: New downtown Macon homes to bring diversity, inclusiveness to Beall’s Hill. [WGXA, 12/02/2021]
GA: Regional library system to use ARPA funds to improve digital access. [Rome New sTribune, 12/07/2021]
IA: Iowa to spend $100 million in federal money on water infrastructure. [Des Moines Register, 12/08/2021]
IL: City of Chicago announces $102 million in rental assistance and plans 2,400 new affordable housing units. [Chicago Tribune, 12/06/2021]
IL: County touts taxpayer savings with ARPA funds. [Daily Journal, 12/15/2021]
IL: Lake Springfield to get redone sewers, paid for with ARPA money. [News Channel ABC 20, 12/21/2021]
IL: Illinois offers COVID-19 financial relief for families amid economic turmoil. [The Southern illinoisian, 01/03/2022]
IN: Northwest Indiana awarded $50 million economic development grant. [NWI, 12/14/2021]
LA: Work to repair 1,100 sinkholes in EBR Parish set to begin in January. [WBRZ, 12/21/2021]
MA: Legislature pumps $5m into king’s beach cleanup. [ItemLive, 12/03/2021]
MA: BU Distributing Federal American Rescue Plan Money to Students. [Back2BU, 12/06/2021]
MD: City leaders announce $1,000 vaccine incentive for government workers in Baltimore. [Fox 5, 12/07/2021]
MD: Howard County Commits $8M To Educators’ Bonuses, Seeks Matching Funds. [CBS 13, 12/20/2021]
ME: Portland offers thousands of dollars in grants for child care businesses. [WGME, 01/05/2022]
MI: Gov. Whitmer signs bill to invest federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan to Michiganders. [WLNS, 12/22/2021]
MI: $1M funding boost awarded to Muskegon County Airport to deal with COVID impact. [MLive, 12/31/2021]
MI: Bay City Commission approves $1 million in ARPA funds to help resident with housing expenses. [ABC 12, 01/05/2022]
MN: American Rescue Plan will pay for COVID tests, childcare and food security in Minnesota, governor says. [KARE11, 12/28/2021]
MN: St. Paul, Ramsey County announce investment of $74 million for ‘deeply’ affordable housing. [Twin Cities, 12/17/2021]
MN: Roseville gives firefighters, police COVID bonuses. [Star Tribune, 12/09/2021]
MO: New housing, mortgage fund underway for low-income St. Louis neighborhoods. [St Louis Post Dispatch, 12/18/2021]
MT: Montana poised to direct $30 million more toward child care. [Independent Record, 01/08/2022]
MS: Mississippi receives over $500M for K-12 school support. [WXXV 25, 12/30/2021]
NE: Stuhr Museum, Multicultural Coalition awarded American Rescue Plan Act grants. [The Grand Island Independent, 01/11/2022]
NH: New Hampshire libraries share $825,000 in federal grants. [WMUR, 01/01/2022]
NV: Nevada approves nearly $20 million to fund COVID-19 treatments. [Fox 11, 12/21/2021]
NV: Clark County OKs $71M for pandemic recovery programs. [Review Journal, 12/21/2021]
NY: American Rescue Plan funding available for Schuyler County business to renovate buildings. [My Twin Tiers, 01/11/2022]
MO: Springfield-Branson National Airport will receive Airport Rescue Grant. [KY3, 01/10/2022]
OH: ARPA: $2.3M Genesis employee retention program, water projects among local COVID-19 relief grants. [Times Recorder, 01/02/2022]
PA: Williamsport Bureau of Fire seeks to replace 2 engines and a ladder truck. [williamsport Sun Gazette, 12/09/2021]
PA: ‘It’s huge’: URA forgives more than $2.9 million in loans awarded to small businesses hit by pandemic. [Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 12/23/2021]
RI: RI lawmakers unveil bill to spend $119M of American Rescue Plan money. [WPRI, 12/15/2021]
TX: Federal pandemic relief money helps expand meal deliveries for seniors in Dallas County. [The Dallas Morning News, 12/16/2021]
UT: In face of economic recovery, pilot shortage, St. George Regional Airport to receive federal grant. [St George News, 12/11/2021]
WA: King County Metro Gets $400M Federal Grant For COVID Recovery. [Patch.com, 12/13/2021]
WA: Housing, employment among initial allocations of Spokane’s American Rescue Plan funds. [KXLY, 01/04/2022]
WI: La Crosse to allocate remaining ARPA relief funds to clean water, housing, child care and more. [La Crosse Tribune, 01/06/2022]
WI: DPW Unveils 16 Traffic Calming Projects. [Urban Milwaulkee, 12/02/2021]
WI: Wausau Schools to receive $10.5 million as part of American Rescue Plan funding. [WAOW, 12/08/2021]
WV: Manchin grants West Virginia airports $334k from American Rescue Plan. [WBOY, 01/03/2022]
HELP IS HERE STATE AND LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS:
Supervisor Katrina Foley, Orange County CA:
https://www.facebook.com/SupervisorFoley/posts/257840199786681
CA Assembly:
https://www.facebook.com/philtingsf/posts/474605130790232
Supervisor, Orange County CA:
https://www.facebook.com/SupervisorFoley/posts/257840199786681
https://twitter.com/supervisorFoley/status/1473542046262579201
CT House:
https://www.facebook.com/RepRobynPorter/posts/335377568409489
https://www.facebook.com/StateRepJason.Rojas/posts/342111827731132
FL House:
https://twitter.com/BenDiamondFL/status/1473401392937197572
MA Senate:
https://www.facebook.com/SenJohnVelis/posts/333978865215126
Council Member District 3, Ellicott Cdp, MD:
https://www.facebook.com/councilwomancmr/posts/282895003855638
Commissioner District 3, St. Paul MN:
https://twitter.com/TristaMatas/status/1473480179229937666
District 8 Legislator, Buffalo NY:
https://www.facebook.com/LegislatorFrankTodaro/posts/405316141207433
NV Senate:
https://twitter.com/nvsenatedems/status/1478451900609556480
OH House:
https://twitter.com/EmiliaSykesOH/status/1474508031522222083
Vice-Chair, Deschutes County OR:
https://www.facebook.com/CommissionerPhilChang/posts/415566356812687
PA House:
https://twitter.com/repbridget/status/1476597366492966916
PA Senate:
https://twitter.com/pasenatedems/status/1477002869832228864
Council Member, Pittsburgh PA:
https://twitter.com/coreyoconnorpgh/status/1473730601123561488
SC House:
https://twitter.com/GCobbHunter/status/1479525368864382983
Council Member, Spokane WA:
https://twitter.com/ZackZappone/status/1479610106044043264
VA House:
https://www.facebook.com/MontyMasonforVirginia/posts/339192528022107
Federal Officials:
CA-16:
https://www.facebook.com/RepJimCosta/posts/361944279072852
CA-20:
https://twitter.com/RepJimmyPanetta/status/1477695685109567491
https://www.facebook.com/RepJimmyPanetta/posts/1380698482379280
CT-01:
https://www.facebook.com/RepJohnLarson/posts/10159527539758632
CT-02:
https://twitter.com/repjoecourtney/status/1478865077751197700
FL-14:
https://www.facebook.com/USRepKathyCastor/posts/4860032160702023
MA-01:
https://www.facebook.com/reprichardneal/posts/457112889118489
https://www.facebook.com/reprichardneal/posts/457109169118861
MI-09:
https://twitter.com/repandylevin/status/1475588299179790339
MO-01:
https://twitter.com/RepCori/status/1476260478150066176
NJ-01:
https://twitter.com/DonaldNorcross/status/1478098589884715008
NY-17:
https://www.facebook.com/repmondaire/posts/292348786242644
OH-14:
https://www.facebook.com/timryanoh/posts/494349952052828
PA-05:
https://www.facebook.com/RepMGS/posts/356407592958293
SC-06:
https://twitter.com/WhipClyburn/status/1476967473417265166
VA-07:
https://twitter.com/spanbergerva07/status/1476955805601652739
VA-10:
https://twitter.com/RepWexton/status/1477052568824160269
U.S Senate, VA:
https://www.facebook.com/MarkRWarner/posts/461035805376961