Visit manchin.senate.gov/arp for estimated recovery funding for each West Virginia county and municipality, the full text of the American Rescue Plan Act, and the most up-to-date daily information.

CORONAVIRUS LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS

TIMING – To the extent practicable, each metropolitan city and each county shall receive their first payment directly from the U.S. Treasury no later than 60 days after the date of enactment of American Rescue Plan (May 10, 2021). Smaller cities and towns (aka non-entitlement units of local government) should receive their funding through the State no later than 30 days after that date. All of these communities will be eligible to receive their second payment 12 months later.

USE OF FUNDS – All units of local government receiving funding shall only use the funds provided to cover costs incurred by December 31, 2024 to do the following activities. They may not deposit any of the funds into any pension fund.

"(A) to respond to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality;

(B) to respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID–19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers of the metropolitan city, nonentitlement unit of local government, or county that are performing such essential work, or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work;

(C) for the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue of such metropolitan city, nonentitlement unit of local government, or county due to the COVID–19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year of the metropolitan city, nonentitlement unit of local government, or county prior to the emergency; or

(D) to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure."

FUNDING FORMULA – This funding will be allocated based on population. Smaller cities and towns (aka nonentitlement units of local government) are also subject to a cap of 75% of the most recent budget as of January 27, 2020.

ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE – The U.S. Treasury is working on drafting additional guidance to better clarify what types of projects will be eligible under this program. If you would like to submit details about your proposed project to U.S. Treasury, you may email arp@manchin.senate.gov by April 9, 2021. All submissions will be shared with U.S. Treasury to aid in their development of additional guidance. As soon as U.S. Treasury guidance is published, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s Office will make it available to all interested parties.

Full bill text available via this link: https://sen.gov/JVW6 . The Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds language can be found in Section 603.

 

The American Rescue Plan will Bring:

INDIVIDUAL AID: $1,400 stimulus checks to most West Virginians; child tax credits; Earned Income Tax Credit; health insurance assistance; student loan assistance; and unemployment through Sept. 6

SMALL BUSINESS AID: Reauthorization of PPP, EIDL, shuttered venue and restaurant assistance Previously, WV small businesses received over $1 billion in direct aid

BROADBAND: $138 million in funding for broadband and $2 million for hotspots

LOCAL: $677 million in funding for cities and 55 counties, to be administered by local governments

STATE: $1.25 billion in funding for WV state government, to be administered by the Governor and legislature

VACCINES: $11 million to WV in supplemental vaccine funding and on increasing vaccine doses

EDUCATION: $800 million for WV pre-K through 12th grade; $190 million for WV colleges and universities

CHILD CARE: $260 million for WV child care and $10 million for WV Head Start

SENIORS: $9 million for WV senior programs

HOUSING: $152 million for emergency rental assistance in WV and $38.5 million for energy bills (LIHEAP)

TRANSPORTATION: $8 million for WV airports; $24 million for WV transit systems

VETERANS: Approximately $2.2 million for Veterans nursing homes

HOSPITALS AND RURAL HEALTH: Millions in direct funding to help WV hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, health departments, home health, and long-term care

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Millions in direct funding to WV through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Health Service Administration

FOOD ASSISTANCE: Direct funding to our most vulnerable West Virginians through federal programs

FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS: The Assistance to Firefighters and SAFER grant programs will receive additional allocations of $100 million and $200 million respectively; Firefighters and First Responders are also eligible for support under state and local government funds

WV STRONG

I was always taught that if you can count your blessings, you can share your blessings. I’ve been seeing so many great WV Strong and Better Angels stories. During these unprecedented times, it’s important to focus on all the wonderful things that are still happening every day in our beautiful state.

This week’s Better Angels are Bishop Robert Haley III and his wife Danita of A More Excellent Way Life Center Church in Charleston. The church hosts a food bank once a month and serves between 250-500 families. Families receive at least two boxes of food that include, meat, veggies and snacks, and hygiene products and diapers are also available. Thank you for all you do in beautiful Kanawha County and for inspiring others to give back as well.

To learn more, call my office Toll Free at (855) 275-5737, email me, or find me on social media:

Facebook     YouTube     Twitter