May 27, 2021
In March 2021, a year after the official beginning of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the fully Democratic Party controlled Congress
sent President Joe Biden their version of a COVID relief bill to
sign, a bill that was rejected by the entire Republican Party. In
this episode, examine the new law in detail to learn how it could
help you and to judge whether this new law was something you would
have liked your representatives in Congress to support.
Executive Producer: Michael Constantino
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TITLE I - COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND
FORESTRY
Subtitle A - Agriculture
Sec. 1001: Food Supply Chain and Agriculture Pandemic
Response
- Appropriates $4 billion for food purchases and grants for food
suppliers to protect their workers from COVID
Sec. 1002: Emergency Rural Development Grants For Rural Health
Care
- Appropriates $500 million for "emergency pilot program" grants
to impoverished rural communities to help them distribute vaccines
with infrastructure and staffing, give them medical supplies,
reimburse them for lost revenue. The program has to be in operation
by mid-August 2021.
Sec. 1005: Farm Loan Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
and Ranchers
- Provides "such sums as may be necessary" for the Secretary of
Agriculture (Tom
Vilsack) to give "socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers"
payments covering "up to 120% of the outstanding indebtedness" as
of January 1, 2021, which will pay off loans they received from the
Farm Service Agency or Commodity Credit Corporation and loans
guaranteed by the Department of Agriculture. "Socially
disadvantaged farmers" are farmers or ranchers who "have been
subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity
as members of a group without regard to their individual
qualities."
Subtitle B - Nutrition
Sec. 1101: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Extends food assistance benefits provided by the Coronabus from
June 30, 2021 to September 30, 2021 and appropriates an additional
$1.15 billion.
Sec. 1103: Additional Funding For Nutrition Assistance
Programs
- Provides $1 billion in food assistance benefits to be split
among the territories, which they will have until September 30,
2027 to use.
Sec. 1105: Improvements to WIC Benefits
- Allows, but does not require, the Secretary of Agriculture to
increase the amount of WIC benefits by $35 until July 11, 2021, if
requested by the states. Appropriates $490 million.
Sec. 1108: Pandemic EBT Program
-
The Family's First Coronavirus Response Act said that during
2020 and 2021, if a school is closed for more than 5 consecutive
days under a public health emergency designation, families of
children who are eligible for free or discounted school lunches
will be able to get benefits valued at least as much as the school
meals, to be distributed via the food stamp program, with money on
EBT cards. This changes the dates so that it's valid "in any school
year in which there is a public health emergency declaration" or
"in a covered summer period following a school session" which will
allow the state to continue the benefits for 90 days so that kids
can continue to receive the meal credits during the emergency
summers.
TITLE II - COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, LABOR, AND
PENSIONS
Subtitle A - Education Matters
Part 1 - Department of Education
Sec. 2001: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief
Fund
- Appropriates over $122.7 billion, which can be used through
September 30, 2023, for grants to the states. 90% of the money has
to be given to local education agencies, including charter schools.
20% of the money needs to be used to address learning loss, via
summer programs and extended school days and school years. The rest
of the money can be spent at the local agencies discretion for
activities they're already authorized to use Federal tax money for
and to fund measures needed to protect students and staff from
COVID. Any money not used must be returned to the Secretary of
Education after one year.
Sec. 2002: Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools
- Appropriates $2.75 billion, which can be used through September
30, 2023, for private schools that "enroll a significant percentage
of low-income students and are most impacted by the qualifying
emergency."
Sec. 2003: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
- Appropriates $39.5 billion, which can be used through September
30, 2023, for colleges and universities.
Part 2 - Miscellaneous
Sec. 2021: National Endowment for the Arts
- Appropriates $135 million for the National Endowment for the
Arts
Sec. 2022: National Endowment for the Humanities
- Appropriates $135 million for the National Endowment for the
Humanities
Sec. 2023: Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Appropriates $200 million for the Institute of Museum and
Library Services
Subtitle B - Labor Matters
Sec. 2101: Funding for Department of Labor Worker Protection
Activities
- Appropriates $200 million, with half of that going to OSHA.
Only $5 million is required to be spent on "enforcement activities
related to COVID-19 at high risk workplaces"
Subtitle C - Human Services and Community
Supports
Sec. 2201: Child Care and Development Block Grant Program
- Appropriates almost $15 billion, which has to be used before
September 30, 2021, for the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Program, which gives money to states for child care for low income
families with children under the age of 13. States are authorized
to provide child care funding to health care employees, emergency
responders, and "other workers deemed essential" regardless of
their income levels during the emergency period.
Sec. 2202: Child Care Stabilization
- Appropriates almost $24 billion for states to give to child
care providers, regardless of any other federal money they have
received. The grant will be determined by the child care provider's
operating expenses and can be used to pay for employee salaries,
benefits, and recruitment; rent or mortages; PPE and training; and
mental health support for children or employees.
Subtitle D - Public Health
Sec. 2301: Funding for COVID-19 Vaccine Activities at the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
- Appropriates $7.5 billion for the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to plan, prepare for, promote, distribute,
administer, monitor, and track COVID-19 vaccines.
Sec. 2302: Funding for Vaccine Confidence Activities
- Appropriates $1 billion, that does not expire, for the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention for activities "to strengthen
vaccine confidence in the United States" in order to "improve rates
of vaccination throughout the United States"
Sec. 2303: Funding for Supply Chain for COVID-19 Vaccines,
Therapeutics, and Medical Supplies
- Appropriates a little over $6 billion, which does not expire,
"for necessary expenses with respect to research, development,
manufacturing, production, and the purchase of vaccines,
therapeutics, and ancillary medical products" to prevent and
respond to COVID and "any disease with potential for creating a
pandemic."
Sec. 2305: Reduced Cost-Sharing
- Expands subsidies for health insurance provided by the
Affordable Care Act to anyone who has been approved for
unemployment insurance in 2021, and their subsidy level will be
determined as if they didn't make more than 133% above the poverty
level, regardless of actual income. This makes them eligible for
the most general subsidy levels, which reduces their out-of-pocket
limit by two-thirds and the insurance provider must pay 90% of
health care costs.
Subtitle E - Testing
Sec. 2401: Funding for COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracing, and
Mitigation Activities
- Appropriates $47.8 billion, which does not expire, to "detect,
diagnose, trace, and monitor SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 infections".
This money must be used to implement a national testing and
contract tracing strategy, provide technical assistance to states,
"support the development, manufacturing, procurement, distribution,
and administration of tests", which includes the supplies needed
for those tests, PPE, and "the acquisition, construction,
alteration, or renovation of non-federally owned facilities."
Sec. 2402: Funding for Sara-COV-2 Genomic Sequencing and
Surveillance
- Appropriates $1.75 billion for genomic sequencing, analytics,
and disease surveillance, which will identify mutations and survey
their transmission in our communities. This money can be used to
"award grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of
facilities to improve genomic sequencing and surveillance
capabilities at the State and local level."
Sec. 2403: Funding for Global Health
- Appropriates $750 million to combat COVID "and other emerging
infectious disease threats globally"
Subtitle F - Public Health Workforce
Sec. 2501: Funding for Public Health Workplace
- Appropriates $7.66 billion, which does not expire, to fund the
creation and expansion of local public health workforces. The money
will be granted to states who will then fund the wages and benefits
for individuals hired to be contract tracers, community health
workers, epidemiologists, laboratory personnel, communications and
policy experts who are employed by the government or a non-profit,
which can be public or private.
Subtitle G - Public Health Investments
Sec. 2601: Funding for Community Health Centers and Community
Care
- Appropriates $7.6 billion, which does not expire, for grants
for community health centers, which can be used for vaccine
distribution, testing and contact tracing, to hire health care
workers, and for community outreach. This money can be used to
reimburse community health centers that they provided for COVID
response sine January 31, 2020.
Subtitle H - Mental Health and Substance Use
Disorder
Sec. 2701: Funding for Block Grants For Community Mental Health
Services
- Appropriates $1.5 billion, that must be spent by September 30,
2025, for states to give to mental health service providers.
Sec. 2702: Funding For Block Grants For Prevention and Treatment of
Substance Abuse
- Appropriates $1.5 billion, that must be spent by September 30,
2025, for states to give to substance abuse treatment
providers.
Subtitle K - Ratepayer Protection
Sec. 2911: Funding for LIHEAP
- Appropriates $4.5 billion, that expires on September 30, 2022,
for payment for energy expenses of low income families.
Subtitle L - Assistance for Older Americans,
Grandfamilies, and Kinship Families
Sec. 2921: Supporting Older Americans and Their Families
- Appropriates over $1.4 billion for COVID related expenses of
senior citizens.
TITLE III - COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN
AFFAIRS
Subtitle A - Defense Production Act of 1950
Sec. 3101: COVID-19 Emergency Medical Supplies Enhancement
- Appropriates $10 billion, available until September 30, 2025,
to use the Defense Production Act for "the purchase, production
(including the construction, repair, and retrofitting of
government-owned or private facilities as necessary)" for
distributing medical supplies and equipment to combat the COVID-19
pandemic.
- Starting on September 30, 2022, the money left over can be used
for any activity "necessary to meet critical public health needs of
the United States, as determined by the President.
Subtitle B - Housing Provisions
Sec. 3201: Emergency Rental Assistance
- Appropriates over $21.5 billion (on top of the $25 billion
provided by the Coronabus), available until September 30, 2027, for
grants to states that will be used to pay rent, utilities and
"other expenses related to housing incurred due, directly or
indirectly," to COVID for up to 18 months. People who qualify for
unemployment benefits, had their income reduced, are low income, or
can demonstrate that they are at risk of homelessness. The payments
will be made directly to the landlord until the landlord does not
agree to accept the payment, in which case the household can
receive the money.
- All eligible grantees (states and territories) must be given at
least 40% of their payments by May 11
- States and territories can use up to 15% of the money for
administration
- Unused money will begin to be returned and redistributed
starting on March 31, 2022
Sec. 3202: Emergency Housing Vouchers
- Appropriates $5 billion, available until September 30, 2030,
for emergency housing vouchers (Section 8) to people who are
homeless, at risk of homelessness, or escaping a domestic violence
or human trafficking situation.
- Prohibits families from getting another voucher after their
voucher expires starting on September 30, 2023.
Sec. 3205: Homelessness Assistance and Supportive Services
Program
- Appropriates $5 billion, available until September 30, 2025,
for "tenant-based rental assistance", development of affordable
housing, housing counseling, and individual shelters than may be
converted to permanent housing. Eligible people include people who
are homeless, at risk of homelessness, escaping a domestic violence
or human trafficking situation, or veterans and their families if
the veteran meets one of the other criteria. These services can be
contracted out and the government "shall" enter into contracts
"that cover the actual total program costs and administrative
overhead"
Sec. 3206: Homeowner Assistance Fund
- Appropriates over $9.9 billion, available until September 30,
2025, for a new Homeowner Assistance Fund. The fund will make
payments "for the purpose of preventing homeowner mortgage
delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities... of
homeowners experiencing financial hardship after January 21,
2020."
- Assistance will include payments of mortgages, payments to take
a loan out of forbearance, principal reduction, facilitating
interest rate reductions, payments for utilities and internet
service, insurance, and homeowner association fees.
- 60% of the money given to states has to be used to help
homeowners at or below the median income level for their household
size or the median income level for the United States, whichever is
greater. The rest of the money has to go to "socially disadvantaged
individuals".
- The states must receive their payments by April 25. If a state
does not request payments by that date, that state will become
ineligible for payments and the money will be divided among the
other states.
Subtitle C - Small Business (SSBCI)
Sec. 3301: State Small Business Credit Initiative
- Appropriates $10 billion to bring back a program last used
after the 2008 global recession to support small businesses
recovering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- $1.5 billion must be spent on businesses owned and controlled
by "socially and economically disadvantaged individuals" This
includes privately owned businesses owned 50% or more by "socially
and economically disadvantaged individuals" Publicly owned
businesses with 51% or more of the stock owned by "socially and
economically disadvantaged individuals" Institutions where a
majority of the board, account holders and the community are
"socially and economically disadvantaged individuals". "Socially
and economically disadvantaged individuals" are two different
legal categories, but the "economically" disadvantaged group
comes from the "socially" disadvantaged group. "Socially
disadvantaged individuals" are those who have been subjected to
racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their
identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual
qualities.
- $500 million must be spent on businesses with fewer than 10
employees, which "may" include independent contractors and sole
proprietors.
Subtitle D - Public Transportation
Sec. 3401: Federal Transit Administration Grants
- Appropriates almost $30.4 billion, available until September
30, 2024, for... Over $26 billion: Urbanized area
formula grants For capital projects, planning, job access and
reverse commute projects and operating costs for public
transportation facilities and equipment in cities with fewer than
200,000 people. Over $1.6 billion: Fixed guideway
capital investment grants, For rail, ferry, and bus public
transportation systems that increase the capacity of the route by
at least 10%. Over $417 million: Formula grants
for rural areas. For planning for rural areas, public
transportation capital costs, public transportation facilities and
equipment, joe access and reverse commute projects, and private
providers of public transportation services. The grants cover 80%
of the net project cost. $50 million: Grants for
enhancing the mobility of seniors, "For public transportation
projects designed, and carried out to meet the special needs of
seniors and individuals with disabilities when public
transportation is insufficient, inappropriate, or
unavailable."
- The money is allowed to be used for operating expenses
beginning on January 20, 2020, including payroll, operating costs
due to lost revenue, purchase of PPE, and the administrative leave
of personnel due to service restrictions.
- Increases the government's share of the costs from 80% to
100%.
- Prohibits money paying for route planning to be used to
privatize a public transportation service.
TITLE IV - COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
Sec. 4001: Emergency Federal Employee Leave Fund
- Appropriates $570 million, available through September 30,
2022, for up to 600 hours of paid leave for full time employees,
capped at $2,800 for each bi-weekly paycheck, for employees that
have to quarantine, who have COVID, is caring for a family member
with COVID, or is getting vaccinated or is sick from getting the
vaccination.
- Eligible employees include executive branch employees, USPS
employees, and working people in the DC court system.
- Eligibility ends on September 30, 2021.
Sec. 4005: Federal Emergency Management Agency
Appropriation
Appropriates $50 billion, available until September 30, 2025 for
FEMA for "major disaster declarations"
Sec. 4006: Funeral Assistance
For the COVID emergency declared on March 13, 2020 "and for any
subsequent major disaster declarations that supercedes such
emergency declaration", FEMA funds "shall" be paid for 100% of
disaster-related funeral expenses.
Sec. 4007: Emergency Food and Shelter Program Funding
- Appropriates $400 million, available until September 30, 2025
for FEMA's emergency food and sh
TITLE V - COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Sec. 5001: Modifications to Paycheck Protection Program
- Adds non-profit organizations with fewer then 500 employees per
location to the eligibility list for forgivable PPP loans. They can
be eligible if they receive up to 15% of their money from lobbying
activities and that amount was less than $1 million during the tax
year that ended prior to February 15, 2020.
- Adds "internet only periodical publishers" who are "assigned a
North American Industry Classification System code of 519130" to be
eligible for forgivable PPP loans if they have fewer than 500
employees per physical location.
- Appropriates an additional $7.25 billion to the PPP
program
Sec. 5002: Targeted EIDL Advance
- Appropriates $15 billion, which does not expire, for the Small
Business Administration to make loans to businesses with fewer than
300 employees in low income communities.
Sec. 5003: Support for Restaurants
- Appropriates $28.6 billion for restaurants, food stands, food
trucks, caterers, bars, tasting rooms, including locations inside
of airports. Does not include chains that had more than 20
locations on March 13, 2020, or publicly traded companies. $5
billion of that is reserved for businesses that made less than
$500,000 in 2019. The maximum amount of each grant is $10 million,
and no more than $5 million per physical location. The amount up to
those caps of the grants is the amount of the business's pandemic
related revenue loss.
- Valid for expenses from February 15, 2020 through at least
December 31, 2021. The Administrator of the Small Business
Administration can extend that until no later than March 11,
2023.
Sec. 5005: Shuttered Venue Operators
- Appropriates an additional $1.25 billion, that doesn't expire,
to the
Coronabus grant program for live performance venues. Reduces
the grant amounts by any amount of PPP money that was received on
or after December 27, 2020.
TITLE VII - COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND
TRANSPORTATION
Subtitle A - Transportation and
Infrastructure
Sec. 7101: Grants to the National Railroad Passenger
Corporation
- Appropriates almost $1 billion to Amtrak's Northeast Corridor
and $730 million to Amtrak's national network, available until
September 30, 2024 for coronavirus related expenses.
Sec. 7102: Relief for Airports
- Appropriates $8 billion, available until September 30, 2024 for
airports. No more than $800 million can be used to pay the rent and
required minimum payments of airport concessions operators. To
qualify for the funding, airports have to retain 90% of the number
of employees they had on March 27, 2020 until September 30, 2021,
unless granted a waiver due to environmental hardship.
Subtitle B - Aviation Manufacturing Jobs
Protection
Sec. 7202: Payroll Support Program
- Appropriates $3 billion, available until September 30, 2023 for
a new program that pays airplane manufacturers for some payroll
expenses if they have "significant operations in, and a majority of
its employees" in the United States, if they have laid off at least
10% of their workforce or experienced a 15% or more loss of
revenue. Businesses that got money from the CARES Act or PPP
program are ineligible.
Subtitle C - Airlines
Sec. 7301: Air Transportation Payroll Support Program
Extension
- Appropriates $14 billion for airlines and $1 billion for
contractors conditioned on their agreement not to furlough anyone
or reduce pay for workers before September 30, 2021, not buy back
their own stock or pay out dividends before September 30, 2022, and
limit executive pay.
Subtitle D - Consumer Protection and Commerce
Oversight
Sec. 7402: Funding for E-Rate Support for Emergency Educational
Connections and Devices
- Appropriates over $7.1 billion, available through September 30,
2030 to reimburse elementary and high schools and libraries for new
telecommunications equipment and services including wi-fi hotspots,
modems, routers, and connection devices.
TITLE VIII - COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Sec. 8002: Funding Availability for Medical Care and Health
Needs
- Appropriates $14 billion in additional funding, available until
September 30, 2023 for the "Veterans Community Care program"
Sec. 8007: Prohibition on Copayments and Cost Sharing for Veterans
During Emergency Relation to COVID-19
- Prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from charging any
co-pay or cost sharing for health care received by a veteran, and
any co-pays and cost sharing already charged must be reimbursed,
for the period between April 6, 2020 and September 30, 2021.
Appropriates an additional $1 billion, available until spent.
TITLE IX - COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Subtitle A - Crisis Support for Unemployed
Workers
Part 1 - Extension of CARES Act Unemployment
Provisions
Sec. 9011: Extension of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
- Extends unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021 and
extends the total number of eligible weeks from 50 to 79.
Part 3 - Department of Labor Funding for Timely,
Accurate, and Equitable Payment
Sec. 9032: Funding for Fraud Prevention, Equitable Access, and
Timely Payment to Eligible Workers
- Appropriates an additional $2 billion, available until fully
spent, to the Secretary of Labor to detect and prevent fraud and
ensure the timely payment of unemployment benefits.
Part 4 - Other Provisions
Sec. 9042: Suspension of Tax on Portion of Unemployment
Compensation
- For taxpayers whose gross income for "any taxable year
beginning in 2020" is less than $150,000 and whose unemployment
payments were less than $10,200, that income will not be
taxable.
Subtitle F - Preserving Health Benefits for
Workers
Sec. 9501: Preserving Health Benefits for Workers
- People who lose their employer paid health insurance due to
being laid off or having their hours reduced can elect to have
COBRA (a continuation of their health insurance) paid for by the
government, which will provide tax credits to the employer who will
pay the premiums. This applies between April 1, 2021 through
September 30, 2021.
Subtitle G - Promoting Economic Security
Part 1 - 2021 Recovery Rebates to
Individuals
Sec. 9601: 2021 Recovery Rebates to Individuals
- Provides $1,400 per person stimulus checks to people making
less than $75,000 per year, with a phase out up to $100,000 per
year. No checks are allowed to be issued after December 31, 2021.
They check amounts will be determined based on either 2019 or 2020
tax filings, whatever the government has on file. Appropriates over
$1.4 billion.
Part 2 - Child Tax Credit
Sec. 9611: Child Tax Credit Improvements for 2021
- For 2021, for taxpayers living in the United States will get a
$3,000 payment for each child ages 6-18 and $3,600 for each child
under the age of 6. The payments will be reduced for individuals
who make more than $75,000 and couples who make more than $150,000.
Payments will be made between July 1, 2021 and December 31,
2021.
Part 3 - Earned Income Tax Credit
Sec. 9621: Strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit for
Individuals with No Qualifying Children
- Doubles the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit for qualified
taxpayers for 2021 who don't have children, increasing the maximum
credit from $538 to $1,500. To qualify, you have to live in the
United States at least half the year and have investment income
below $10,000. People who make more than $21,430 as a single person
or $27,830 jointly are not eligible.
Part 4 - Dependent Care Assistance
Sec. 9631: Refundability and Enhancement of Child and Dependent
Care Tax Credit
- For 2021, eligible taxpayers can get up to 50% of up to $8,000
in childcare costs (capped at $16,000 for multiple children under
the age of 12) reimbursed via a refundable tax credit. The credit
phases out for families with income higher than $400,000 per
year.
Part 5 - Credits for Paid Sick and Family
Leave
Sec. 9641: Payroll Credits
- Provides a 100% refundable tax credit for employers that
provide paid sick leave, capped at $511 and 10 days per quarter.
Provides a 100% refundable tax credit for employers who provide
family leave, capped at $200 per day and $12,000 total.
Sec. 9642: Credit for Sick Leave For Certain Self-Employed
Individuals
- Allows self employed individuals to receive a tax credit for
sick day related to COVID-19 from April 1, 2021 through September
30, 2021, including getting tested, quarantining, illness, and
getting the vaccine. The number of days is capped at 10 and its
capped at $200 per day.
Sec. 9643: Credit For Family Leave For Certain Self-Employed
Individuals
- Allows self employed individuals to receive a refundable tax
credit for family leave for COVID-19 testing, illness, or vaccines.
It's capped at 60 days and $200 per day.
Part 6 - Employee Retention Credit
Sec. 9651: Extension of Employee Retention Credit
- Provides employers who had to partially or fully close during
2021 with a refundable tax credit up to 70% of the wages they pay
to their employees capped at $10,000 per employee per quarter.
Part 7 - Premium Tax Credit
Sec. 9661: Improving Affordability by Expanding Premium Assistance
for Consumers
- Increases the amount of money the government will pay towards
the health insurance premium of low income individuals. People with
incomes at or below 150% of the poverty level ($19,320 for
individuals) can get coverage with no monthly premiums. Lifts the
cap on the income level of individuals eligible for subsides, so
now everyone is eligible and no one will pay more than 8.5% of
their income towards health insurance premiums. This is only
applicable for 2021 and 2022.
Part 8 - Miscellaneous Provisions
Sec. 9671: Repeal of Election to Allocate Interest, Etc. on
Worldwide Basis
- Repeals a tax benefit for corporations that would have become
effective in 2021.
Sec. 9672: Tax Treatment of Targeted EIDL Advances
COVID relief money provided via the Small Business
Administration's program for restaurants will not count as gross
income for tax purposes.
Sec. 9673: Tax Treatment of Restaurant Revitalization
Grants
- COVID relief money provided via the Small Business
Administration's program for small businesses, nonprofits, and
venues will not count as gross income for tax purposes.
Sec. 9675: Modification of Treatment of Student Loan
Forgiveness
- Student loan forgiveness amounts will not be included in gross
income from 2021 through 2025.
Subtitle
H - Pensions
Subtitle I - Child Care for Workers
Sec. 9801: Child Care Assistance
- Appropriates over $3.5 billion for grants to states and
territories for child care assistance.
Subtitle J - Medicaid
Sec. 9811: Mandatory Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccines and
Administration and Treatment Under Medicaid
- From March 11, 2021 until one year after the COVID emergency is
declared over, Medicaid must pay for COVID testing, treatment, and
vaccines free of out of pocket charges.
Subtitle K - Children's Health Insurance
Program
Sec. 9821: Mandatory Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccines and
Administration and Treatment Under CHIP
- From March 11, 2021 until the first day of the quarter after
the one year anniversary of the COVID emergency being declared
over, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) must cover
COVID testing, treatment, and vaccines with no cost sharing
requirements. The Federal government will pay 100% of the costs to
the states.
Subtitle M - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery
Funds
Sec. 9901: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery
Funds
- Appropriates $219.8 billion, available through the end of 2024,
for states, territories, and tribal governments to "mitigate the
fiscal effects stemming from the public health emergency with
respect to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)". The money can be
spent on "assistance to households, small businesses, and
nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel,
and hospitality" and "premium pay (up to $13/hour, capped at
$25,000) to eligible workers... performing such essential work" and
"for the provision of government services to the extent of the
reduction of revenue... due to the COVID-19 public health
emergency" and "to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or
broadband infrastructure." The money can NOT be used to offset a
reduction in revenue caused by a tax cut or to deposit into pension
funds.
- Appropriates over $130 billion, available through the end of
2024 for metropolitan cities ($45.5 billion), nonentitlement units
of local government ($19.5 billin), and counties ($65 billion) to
"mitigate the fiscal effects stemming from the public health
emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)" for
the same purposes with the same conditions placed upon the states
(see above).
- Appropriates $10 billion, available until fully spent, for
states, territories, and tribal governments to "carry out critical
capital projects directly enabling work, education, and health
monitoring, including remote options." Each state will get at least
$100 million.
- Appropriates $2 billion, available until September 30, 2023,
for counties and tribal governments for "any governmental purpose
other than a lobbying activity."
Subtitle N - Other Provisions
Sec. 9911: Funding For Providers Relating to COVID-19
- Appropriates $8.5 billion, available until fully spent, for
health care providers for "health care related expenses and lost
revenues that are attributable to COVID-19. Health care providers
must apply and can't double dip for the same expenses that have
already been reimbursed or are supposed to be reimbursed some other
way (for example, via insurance.)
- The money can be used for expenses derived from new
construction of temporary structures, leasing property, purchasing
medical supplies, hiring new workers and their training, and
others.
TITLE X - COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
Sec. 10003: Global Response
- Appropriates over $8.6 billion, available until September 30,
2022, for international health programs "to prevent, prepare for,
and respond to coronavirus". $3.75 billion will go to the State
Department for "the prevention, treatment, and control of HIV/AIDS"
in order to mitigate the impact on these programs from impacts of
the coronavirus and support recovery from them. The vast majority
of this money will be for "a United States contribution to the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria" $3.09 billion
will go to USAID for COVID-19 relief that "shall include support
for international disaster relief, rehabilitation, and
reconstruction, for health activities, and to meet emergency food
security needs." $930 million will be for "activities to address
economic and stabilization requirements resulting from"
coronavirus. $905 million will go to USAID and "shall include a
contribution to a multilateral vaccine development partnership to
support epidemic preparedness."
Sec. 10004: Humanitarian Response
- Appropriates $500 million, available until September 30, 2022,
to carry out the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act, but the
money can't be used to resettle refugees in the United States.
Sec. 10005: Multilateral Assistance
- Appropriates $580 billion, available until September 30, 2022,
which "shall include support for the priorities and objectives of
the United Nations Global Humanitarian Response Plan to COVID-19
through voluntary contributions to international organization and
programs administered by such organizations."
TITLE XI - COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
Sec. 11001: Indian Health Service
- Appropriates over $6 billion for the Indian Health Service for
COVID-19 related expenses.
Sec. 11002: Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Appropriates $900 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for
tribal housing improvements, welfare services and water
deliveries.
Sec. 11003: Housing Assistance and Supportive Services Programs for
Native Americans
- Appropriates $750 million for housing assistance for native
American communities.
Sec. 11005: Bureau of Indian Education
- Appropriates $850 million for the Bureau of Indian Education,
available until fully spent.
Articles/Documents
- Article:
Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Start July 15th. Here's What You
Need to Know, By Christine Hernandez, winnie, May 21, 2021
- Article:
Applying for rental assistance isn't easy. Here's what you need to
know, By Annie Nova, CNBC, May 20, 2021
- Article:
Facing Hurricane and Wildfire Seasons, FEMA Is Already Worn
Out, By Christopher Flavelle and Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York
Times, May 20, 2021
- Article:
As GOP-run states slash jobless aid, the Biden administration finds
it has few options, By Tony Romm and Eli Rosenberg, The
Washington Post, May 20, 2021
- Article:
FEMA Launches Program to Compensate Funeral Expenses During
Pandemic, By Stephanie Steele, NewsRadio 610 Kona, May 18,
2021
- Article:
Judge Allows National Eviction Moratorium To Remain In Force While
Feds Appeal Ruling Tossing It, By Nicholas Reimann, Forbes, May
18, 2021
- Article:
How to get $9,000 in federal assistance for COVID-related funeral
expenses, By James T. Mulder, AL, May 12, 2021
- Article:
Struggling Renters Need More Federal Aid, By Alieza Durana and
Carl Gershenson, The American Prospect, May 12, 2021
- Article:
Lockheed-Backed Reps Lobby Against F-35 Spending Cuts, By David
Moore, Sludge, Brick House, May 12, 2021
- Article:
Loans Online – Black farmer loan forgiveness challenged, By
Andrew Solender, Forbes, May 11, 2021
- Article:
Senate Republicans Move To End $300 Unemployment Checks After Bad
Jobs Report, By Andrew Solender, Forbes, May 11, 2021
- Article:
Republicans Are Still Waging War on Workers, By Paul Krugman,
The New York Times, May 10, 2021
- Article:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce blames weak jobs report on enhanced
unemployment benefit, kicks off lobbying effort, By Thomas
Franck and Brian Schwartz, CNBC, May 7, 2021
- Article:
National Eviction Moratorium Thrown Out by Federal Judge, By
Andrew Ackerman and Brent Kendall, The Wall Street Journal, May 5,
2021
- Article:
Who is eligible for Earned Income Tax Credit for childless
workers?, By Greg Heilman, as, May 3, 2021
- Article:
Sid Miller sues over farm aid program, saying it discriminates
against whites, By Chuck Lindell, Austin American-Statesman,
April 27, 2021
- Article:
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller sues, claims American Rescue Plan
discriminates against white farmers, By Drew Knight, KVUE,
April 27, 2021
- Article:
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM BEFORE YOUR
CHANCE TO GET IT RUNS OUT, By Jamie Smith Hopkins, The Center
for Public Integrity, April 25, 2021
- Article:
USDA Details Plan for Debt Payments to Socially Disadvantaged
Farmers, By Chris Clayton, Progressive Farmer, DTN, Ag Policy
Blog, April 15, 2021
- Article:
HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE FUND, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY,
April 14, 2021
- Article:
New $3,000 child tax credit to start payments in July, IRS
says, By Carmen Reinicke, CNBC, April 13, 2021
- Document:
FAQS ABOUT COBRA PREMIUM ASSISTANCE UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
ACT OF 2021, Department of Labor, April 7, 2021
- Article:
Exclusive: Nearly 7 million uninsured Americans qualify for free
health insurance, By Dylan Scott, Vox, April 1, 2021
- Article:
This Fast Food Giant Bragged About Killing $15 Minimum Wage, By
David Sirota, Andrew Perez and Walker Bragman, Newsweek, March 27,
2021
- Document: Pension
Provisions in the American Rescue Plan of 2021, U.S.
Congressional Research Service, March 18, 2021
- Article:
Congress Repeals Worldwide Interest Expense Allocation, By
Amanda Pedvin Varma, Lauren Azebu, Steptoe, March 17, 2021
- Article:
House Democrat Jared Golden Defends Voting Against 'Wasteful' $1.9T
Relief Bill, By Benjamin Fearnow, Newsweek, February 27,
2021
- Article:
FEMA Supporting Vaccination Centers Nationwide, FEMA, February
26, 2021
- Article: Veterans Community Care
Program: Improvements Needed to Help Ensure Timely Access to
Care, U.S. Government Accountability Office, September 28,
2020
- Article:
How a 1960s communist exposed the funeral industry’s greed, By
Matt Reimann, Timeline, July 11, 2016
- Article:
The F-35 Is About to Get A Lot Cheaper. Sort Of., By Kyle
Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, July 11, 2016
Additional Resources
- Poll
@JenBriney Twitter
-
Allocation for States
-
Allocation for Metropolitan Cities
-
Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers, U.S. Department of
Agriculture
- Child Care &
Development Block Grant (CCDBG), First Five Years Fund
- The
American Rescue Plan, The White House
- Federal
Poverty Level (FPL), Healthcare.gov
- New, lower
costs on health insurance! Enroll now, Healthcare.gov
-
US Chamber of Commerce, OpenSecrets.org
-
Lobbyist Profile: Robert L Livingston, OpenSecrets.org
-
Lobbyist Profile: Michael Mukasey, OpenSecrets.org
-
Client Profile: US Chamber of Commerce, OpenSecrets.org
-
Industry Profile: Food & Beverage, OpenSecrets.org
Sound Clip Sources
Cover Art
Design by Only Child Imaginations
Music Presented in This Episode
Intro & Exit:
Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on
Music Alley by mevio)