Within the next couple days, the House will likely approve the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan for COVID relief approved in the Senate along party line votes this past Saturday, March 6.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
Unemployment benefits are a primary consideration of the bill. (See our handbook article on Unemployment here.) In the bill, the PUA covered period was extended a week to Labor Day, but federal PUA amount was reduced from $400 to $300 per week. In exchange for the lower benefit, the first $10,200 of unemployment insurance benefits will be non-taxable in 2021 for households with an adjusted gross income under $150,000.
Stimulus Checks
Federal direct economic stimulus checks will be $1,400 per taxpayer and $1,400 per child or adult dependent (student, disabled). However, the payments will completely phase out for taxpayers with more than $80,000 of your last filed adjusted gross income for singles, $120,000 for heads of household, and $160,000 for married couples.
Child Tax Credit
Increase in the Child Tax Credit to $3,600/child (an increase of $1,600) for children younger than 6 and $3,000/child for children under 17.
COBRA health insurance
The bill increased federal COBRA health insurance for laid off workers from 85% to 100% through September.
State & Local Government Relief
$350 billion for state and local government relief with excellent language clarifying eligible use of funds for assistance to small businesses, nonprofits, and hard-hit industries like tourism, travel, and hospitality. Funding can also be used for the expansion of broadband coverage to rural and inner-city areas. $10 billion is designated for local capital infrastructure projects.
Vaccinations & Testing
$20 billion for additional vaccinations and $50 billion for testing.
SBA Loan Programs
$7.25 billion additional funds for Paycheck Protection Program. $15 billion for additional EIDL funds, with loans prioritized for hardest hit businesses with fewer than 10 employees. $1.25 billion additional funds for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program with the new allowance that entities can apply for both PPP and SVOG for a net award. $25 billion for a new grant program for restaurants and bars to meet payroll and other expenses.
Youth & Schools
$1.25 billion for evidence-based summer enrichment, $1.25 billion for after school programs, and $3 billion for education technology. $130 billion for most K-12 schools to safely reopen within 100 days.
Arts, Humanities, Public Media, Libraries & Museums
$135 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), $135 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), $200 million for the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), and $175 million added for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
Rent & Utilities
$20 billion for additional rent and utility assistance.
Otherwise, the proposed incremental increase of the minimum wage was dropped. Target date for enactment is before March 14, 2021.
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