Federal, State, and Local Officials across the country continue to praise the provisions in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) that are providing relief for their communities. Last week, lawmakers praised a Census Bureau study that showed reports of food shortages fell 42 percent from January through April largely thanks to the American Rescue Plan. The same data also found that even among households that had prepandemic incomes of $50,000 to $75,000, more than 11 percent of those with children sometimes or often lacked food at the start of the year — a figure that has since fallen in half.
Benefits from the ARP continue to accrue as states allocate the nearly $350 billion in relief provided under the ARP. For example, states are using the federal funds to make improvements in education that will endure beyond the pandemic. For example, Illinois university presidents plan to spend $146 million in federal COVID-19 relief money helping students stay in school while $14 million in Virginia will be used to address gaps in learning loss from the pandemic. Republican Governors have also embraced the benefits of the American Rescue Plan for their states, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was able to increase the states budget from last year by more than $9 billion in large part due to the federal funds.
See more examples below of how the American Rescue Plan continues to provide critical relief to Americans across the country who have struggled during the pandemic:
HELP IS HERE STATE AND LOCAL STORIES:
AL: UPDATE: Birmingham City Council passes Mayor’s plan for city employee one-time payments up to $5,000. [WBRC, 05/28/2021]
AL: Birmingham council president proposes $13 million vaccine sweepstakes. [ABC 3340, 06/03/2021]
AR: Panel favors $150M spent on state broadband grants. [Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 06/03/2021]
CA: South San Francisco OKs relief gift cards: Officials agree to offer $40 gift cards redeemable at local business to those struggling amid pandemic. [The Daily Journal, 06/02/2021]
CA: Mayor Breed wants to add more than $1 billion to fighting homelessness in San Francisco over next two years. [SF Chronicle, 06/01/2021]
CA: How San Diego’s veterans will benefit from the American Rescue Plan. [San Diego Union Tribune, 06/02/2021]
ID: Miami County pledges $1.4M to expand rural internet. [Kokomo Tribune, 06/01/2021]
IL: Local college/university presidents plan to spent $146M in federal COVID-19 relief money helping students stay in school. [Chicago Tribune, 06/04/2021]
IL: Area college leaders talk about impact of American Rescue Plan. [Kane county Chronicle, 05/28/2021]
KY: West Kentucky high school getting more than $10 mllion. [WPSD, 06/02/2021]
MD: How will Baltimore City Spend $640 million in pandemic relief funds?. [Fox 5, 06/02/2021]
MD: MARYLAND CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $796,000 IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING ACROSS STATE. [Raskin.House, 05/27/2021]
MT: Tester touts ARPA relief in Helena trip — Business owner: ‘We would have probably lost everything’ [Daily Montanan, 06/01/2021]
PA: Health insurance is on sale at a steep discount thanks to the latest COVID-19 relief law. [Philadelphia Inquirer, 05/28/2021]
PA: Broadband upgrades a key part of PA Rescue Plan. [GoErie, 06/01/2021]
TX: El Paso County to receive more than $162 million in federal funding. [KTSM, 06/02/2021]
TX: Houston passes $5.1B budget that gives firefighters a raise, and council rebukes mayor on district funds. [Houston chronicle, 06/03/2021]
VA: Manassas schools receive $14 million in relief funds. Large portion of money will address learning loss. [Inside NOVA, 05/30/2021]
VA: Onancock Set To Receive $1.1M in Relief Funds. [Eastern Shore Post, 05/27/2021]
VA: THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN HAS DELIVERED CRITICAL RELIEF FOR VIRGINIA VETERANS. [VA Democrats, 05/31/2021]
WA: $128 million: Seattle releases plan for American Rescue Plan Act funds. [King5, 05/29/2021]
WA: Commissioner Ryan proposes six managed homeless villages. [KOIN, 06/02/2021]
HELP IS HERE STATE AND LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS:
AR Senate:
https://www.facebook.com/KeithIngramForArkansas/posts/4128278940561628
Councilmember, San Francisco CA:
https://twitter.com/eddiefloresssf/status/1400153543433097216?s=21
CO Senate:
https://twitter.com/cosendem/status/1399770953832222724
FL House:
https://www.facebook.com/AnnaForFlorida/posts/1183839728724057
Commissioner, Rome GA (retweet):
https://twitter.com/wendy4rome/status/1400895981894488066
IL Senate:
https://www.facebook.com/SenatorPacioneZayas/posts/185948473436719
KS House:
https://twitter.com/byersforkansas/status/1400192984432455680
City Councilor, Bangor ME:
https://twitter.com/claritybear/status/1399519963392659462
ME House:
https://www.facebook.com/BerryForMaine/posts/4304639032922172
NC House:
https://www.facebook.com/reivesfornchouse54/posts/5631375310269106
NY Assembly:
https://www.facebook.com/chris.tague.14/posts/1726068577581027
OR House:
https://www.facebook.com/JaneenSollmanforHD30/posts/3995194160547171
City Council, Philadelphia:
https://www.facebook.com/CouncilmemberJG/posts/1025042901597058
PA House:
https://www.facebook.com/RepJoeWebster/photos/a.214339292783664/785398082344446
https://www.facebook.com/RepBradford/posts/10166148834440377
PA Senate:
https://twitter.com/SenatorHughes/status/1401538449304428544
VA House:
https://twitter.com/pricefordel95/status/1399513838521888769
Federal Officials:
AL-07:
https://www.facebook.com/RepSewell/posts/5594674143938909
CA-24:
https://www.facebook.com/repsaludcarbajal/posts/1113458165808629
CA-34:
https://www.facebook.com/RepJimmyGomez/posts/971950073347892
CA-49:
https://www.facebook.com/RepMikeLevin/posts/956432328515619
CT-01:
https://www.facebook.com/RepJohnLarson/posts/10159128093848632
IL-08:
https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanRaja/posts/2949990921913168
KS-03:
https://www.facebook.com/RepDavids/posts/3746547382123692
MA-01:
https://www.facebook.com/reprichardneal/posts/4620414421322045
US Senate, MI:
https://www.facebook.com/SenGaryPeters/posts/10159287138824324
MN-02:
https://www.facebook.com/RepAngieCraig/posts/1945476608935005
US Senate, MT:
https://www.facebook.com/senatortester/posts/10159278474341665
US Senate, NH:
https://www.facebook.com/SenatorShaheen/posts/4458794340819669
NJ-05:
https://www.facebook.com/RepJoshG/posts/1450992041905525
NJ-07:
https://twitter.com/repmalinowski/status/1400950895261753346
US Senate, NJ:
https://www.facebook.com/senatormenendez/posts/10159296885191358
NY-08:
https://www.facebook.com/RepJeffries/posts/1842829722562292
NY-19:
https://www.facebook.com/RepAntonioDelgado/posts/839930323292159
PA-04:
https://twitter.com/madeleinedean/status/1400101535200288771
US Senate, PA:
https://www.facebook.com/SenatorBobCasey/posts/4071680182885104
TX-15:
https://www.facebook.com/RepVicenteGonzalez/posts/2884288171789445
TX-34:
https://www.facebook.com/UsCongressmanFilemonVela/posts/4464332230277810
VA-07:
https://www.facebook.com/RepSpanberger/posts/954316891985052