In a move that will immeasurably assist the nation’s states and territories, the U.S. Senate just approved a $2 trillion stimulus package to battle the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, the House is expected to approve the bill and send it to the president. The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) wants you to be the first to know how the bill affects the states. Read NCSL’s full summary of the bill here.
NCSL worked closely with Congress and the administration to secure $150 billion in stimulus for state, local and tribal governments. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, as passed by the Senate, provides immediate and flexible aid for states to weather massive public health and economic challenges.
For states, here are some highlights of the bill:
- $45 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund for the immediate needs of state, local, tribal and territorial governments to protect citizens and help them respond and recover from the overwhelming effects of the coronavirus.
- $30 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund for states, school districts and institutions of higher education for costs related to the coronavirus.
- $4.3 billion, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to support federal, state and local public health agencies to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus.
Working on behalf of state legislatures, NCSL advocated to secure these and other provisions of the legislation. NCSL is grateful to Congress and the administration for their recognition of the role states take in leading the economic recovery, as well as aggressively battling the health crisis.
Access NCSL’s full suite of coronavirus resources, updated daily.