The Biden Administration’s just-issued guidance to state and local governments on how they may allocate the $350 billion in federal aid provided by the American Rescue Plan is exactly what is needed to ensure the funds are invested to benefit our nation’s working families.
The Administration wisely prioritizes:
- State and local infrastructure projects;
- Rehiring teachers, fire fighters and other public employees laid off in the initial pandemic budget crunch;
- Providing hazard pay to our heroic frontline essential workers who have been keeping America going for the past 14 months at great personal risk;
- Meeting public health needs, including COVID response;
- Alleviating the economic hardship caused by the pandemic to small businesses and workers; and
- Enabling hard-hit communities to fully serve the public.
This guidance will result in more and better jobs, more vibrant communities, and an accelerated recovery from the devastation caused by COVID. And it will prevent state and local officials from misusing or wasting these funds.
We applaud the Biden Administration and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for taking these common sense steps to make sure the American people directly benefit from the American Rescue Plan.
Daniel E. Stepano
General President
