Bipartisan lawmakers have reached an agreement on a $10 billion COVID-19 supplemental spending bill, offering flexibility to counties.
The $10 billion included in the bill for the Department of Health and Human Services is offset by a rescission of unobligated, previously appropriated pandemic spending included in ARPA and the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136), including a rescission of the $2 billion ARPA Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund.
According to the bill’s language, the funding will:
remain available until September 30, 2025, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including for necessary expenses with respect to the research and development, manufacturing, production, purchase, and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical
15 products, services, and supplies
The National Association of Counties (NACo) offered key takeaways from bipartisan agreement:
- Bipartisan lawmakers reached an agreement on $10 billion COVID-19 supplemental spending bill
- COVID-19 supplemental includes S. 3011, which provides new flexibilities for counties to invest ARPA Recovery Funds
- Counties support passage of S. 3011/H.R.5735 to provide additional flexibilities for counties to invest Recovery Funds
Pending a vote in the Senate, expected to happen this week, the bill will move to the House for a vote before going to President Biden’s desk for his signature.
Access the bill.
Read NACo’s analysis on the bill and what it means for counties.