The American Rescue Plan has passed the House and Senate and is expected to be signed into law by President Biden soon. This comprehensive legislation provides a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package and takes bold steps to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic while providing needed assistance to bolster the economy. The American Rescue Plan provides direct assistance to families, invests in vaccine distribution, ensures schools have the resources to resume in-person learning safely, and supports small businesses. It provides $30 billion in funding for transit agencies through the following Federal Transit Administration Formula Funds: (5307) urbanized transit, (5311) rural transit, and (5310) nonprofit transit. Review the proposed transit formula funds by using the links below:
What’s in the American Rescue Plan?
• $1,400 direct payments to each American, including for each child, for individuals making less than $75,000 a year and married couples making less than $150,000 a year to help those struggling to pay their bills and help get the economy moving.
• $300/week enhanced unemployment benefits through Labor Day, with $10,200 tax free for those making less than $150,000, to help Americans who are waiting to get back to work.
• $20 billion for development and distribution of vaccines, including $7.5 billion in CDC funding to address racial disparities and ensure vaccines are reaching every community, including communities of color hit hardest by the pandemic.
• $48.3 billion for testing, tracing, and mitigation efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19 and provide PPE to frontline health care workers.
• $350 billion in critical aid to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to keep frontline workers such as teachers, law enforcement, and health care workers, on the job.
• 15% increase in SNAP benefits through September to help families struggling to put food on their table.
• $3,600 expanded child tax credit per child under 6 and $3,000 per child from ages 6 to 17 for parents making less than $75,000 or $150,000 per couple; because it is now fully refundable for the lowest income families, this will cut child poverty in America in half.
• Nearly $35 billion to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and ensure individuals have access to quality, affordable health care during this public health crisis.
• $29 billion targeted specifically to help struggling restaurants who have been hit the hardest by measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
• $50 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund under the Federal Emergency management Agency to assist in securing PPE, distributing vaccines, and sanitizing public buildings.
• Over $125 billion for K-12 schools, $40 billion for colleges, and $39 billion for childcare providers to ensure a return to safe in-person learning for students, teachers, and staff