Congressional Leadership announced an agreement on a COVID-19 relief package, which is expected to be voted on Monday. Excluded from that agreement is direct funding for state and local governments.
The deadline to utilize existing CARES funding will be extended by a year from December 2020 to December 2021.
The legislation extends the existing eviction moratorium until January 2021 and provides $25 billion for emergency rental assistance. Also of note for the states, the package includes $45 billion for state transportation departments and Amtrak, $82 billion for schools, $69 billion for vaccine distribution and contact tracing, and $13 billion for expanded food stamps.
The agreement also includes stimulus checks of up to $600 per person, depending on 2019 earnings, an extension of unemployment benefits of up to $300 per week, and $275 billion for more Paycheck Protection Program.
Lawmakers reached a compromise on Federal Reserve programs which had been a sticking point.
On Sunday night, Congress approved another continuing resolution extension, this one for one day to avoid a government shutdown to pass this COVID relief legislation and government funding through September.
As more details emerge we will continue to keep you updated.
Contact: Paul Penna, Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609 695-3481, x110.