On Wednesday, March 10, Congress completed passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The President is expected to sign it into law on Friday, March 12. The 620-page bill includes $350 billion in emergency relief for states, local governments, tribes and territories and other funding for housing, education, food and nutrition, unemployment assistance, vaccines, testing and FEMA assistance. The legislation was considered under the budget reconciliation process that allowed passage in the Senate with a simple majority, so the legislation was approved by House and Senate with no Republican votes supporting it.

Continue reading to see what recovery funds will be available in your area.

Centralina launched a new initiative called Raleigh Relations in the fall of 2020. This effort is designed to expand our engagement with the state government in three ways.

Lawmakers in both Washington, DC and Raleigh are back to work after the holiday break. The General Assembly started its long session on January 13th, when it decides the two-year state budget and key priorities, which are expected to include COVID relief, healthcare, broadband and transportation. Centralina has launched a new effort called Raleigh Relations to monitor legislation and strengthen relationships with the elected officials representing our region.

Washington is in the final stretch of the 116th Congress. Two items remain in negotiations that must be resolved before lawmakers can head home for the holidays – FY21 appropriations and coronavirus relief. Congress was forced to pass a one-week extension of the continuing resolution to fund the government at current levels through December 18. The measure aims to give policymakers more time to strike a deal on a comprehensive FY21 spending bill, which may include coronavirus relief funding provisions if a separate aide package cannot be agreed upon.

The House voted 214-207 along party lines to pass the Democratic $2.2 trillion stimulus measure. The legislation is a slimmed-down version of the HEROES Act, the $3.4 trillion stimulus bill that passed the House in May. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the measure still too expensive to pass the Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin continue negotiations. The proposal contains $436 billion in aid for states and cities.

Centralina has applied for nearly $499,560 in planning assistance under U.S. DOT’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, Transportation Discretionary Grant Program.

The U.S. House of Representatives is readying an infrastructure bill with plans to consider it on the House floor in late June or early July.