PENNSYLVANIA — Thanks to President Biden and Democrats, over $330 million in aid is now on its way to cities and counties across Pennsylvania to help revive restaurants, cover pandemic-related costs, and close the gap from lost revenue due to the pandemic. People across Pennsylvania are not only reading about this critical relief but they are seeing the positive effects from the American Rescue Plan that passed thanks to President Biden’s leadership — and without a single Republican vote in Congress.
See below for local coverage:
Times Leader: $330M available to NEPA counties, cities through American Rescue Plan
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright Tuesday said the region counts on local governments for essential services like police, fire, emergency response, garbage collection, street cleaning and so much more.
Cartwright welcomed the U.S. Treasury Department’s launch of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, which allocate $330 million for the counties and larger cities that comprise the 8th Congressional District to keep public employees on payroll and maintain essential services.
Cartwright, D-Moosic, said these funds were authorized by the American Rescue Plan that passed in March. He said entities can now apply for these funds through the Treasury website.
“Local officials and the front line heroes who do these jobs worked hard to maintain these services as best they could so that they were there for us amid the uncertainty of last year,” Cartwright said. “I’m proud that we are able to support them through the American Rescue Plan.”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: White House launches fund to distribute $335 million for Pittsburgh, $381 million for Allegheny County
Two months after the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill was signed into law, the Biden administration on Monday launched the $350 billion fund for state and local governments, granting local officials wide discretion over how to spend those dollars on health inequities, affordable housing, education, and infrastructure like water and sewer projects.
Pittsburgh will receive $335 million and Allegheny County will receive $381 million as part of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, according to numbers released by the White House. Pennsylvania’s state government will receive $7.3 billion as a separate allocation, the data showed.
“We expect money to flow quickly, and that will allow governments to begin doing all the important work of responding to the pandemic and strengthen the economy,” one official said.
Reading Eagle: Democrats tour Reading to promote the Pennsylvania Rescue Plan
State Rep. Manuel “Manny” Guzman stood at Fifth and Penn streets in downtown Reading Monday afternoon and looked at the five vacant buildings on the corner.
“This is why I wanted to bring you here,” Guzman said, pointing to the buildings. “These are all historical buildings and they are all vacant.”
Guzman was talking to about 20 state legislators from the House Democratic Caucus who were in the city for a tour of the downtown and to tout the caucus’ plan to use the $7 billion coming to Pennsylvania from the federal American Rescue Plan.
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Democratic Caucus leader Rep. Joanna E. McClinton said that thanks to President Joseph Biden the commonwealth will receive $7 billion, and now the Legislature needs to pass the Pennsylvania House Rescue plan.
Pocono Record: Restaurant Revitalization Fund offers vital help to NEPA eateries
The Restaurant Revitalization Fund has opened its doors, offering relief to an industry devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic in areas like the Poconos and the surrounding northeast region of Pennsylvania.
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The Restaurant Revitalization Fund hopes to provide a helping hand to those establishments that experienced as-yet incalculable losses to their income.
The fund will offer restaurants, bars and other eligible businesses that serve food and drink funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue losses up to $10 million per business. As long as those funds are put toward approved uses by March 11, 2023, the relief does not have to be repaid.
KDKA: Pittsburgh Public Schools Releases Plan To Use $150 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding
Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, Pittsburgh Public Schools will get around $150 million in funding.
The Pittsburgh Public Schools say they’re planning to use about $50 million in those funds to buy computers for each student, fund WiFi upgrades, and improve indoor air quality.
They also plan to use the funds to support summer learning programs.
CBS21: House Democrats advocate for Rescue Plan funding to address childcare
Penn Capital-Star: Senate Democrats propose ‘New Deal’ spending plan for Pa. relief funds
CBS21: Breakdown of American Rescue Plan funds coming to Central PA
ABC27: Pa. House Democrats promote rescue spending plan
Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh and region’s 10 counties each receiving millions from $350 billion American Rescue Plan – Pittsburgh Business Times
Bucks County Courier Times: How Bucks County government, towns and schools can spend the nearly $300M coming under the American Rescue Plan
Latrobe Bulletin News: Commissioners anticipate $105 million in federal coronavirus relief
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