National Association of Counties (NACo): Contact US Senators to oppose a joint resolution to overturn local flexibility for federal COVID relief funds.
A group of US Senators introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution to overturn the Obligation Interim Final Rule (IFR) published by the US Department of Treasury (Treasury) in November 2023 for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF). The US Senate could consider this CRA as soon as Wednesday, May 15.
If passed, counties would no longer be able to invest SLFRF dollars in certain personnel costs or reclassify excess funds after the December 2024 deadline. In addition, the joint resolution would severely jeopardize flexibility for subrecipients.
The Obligation IFR and Treasury’s associated FAQs, which NACo strongly supports, provide states and local governments with critical guidance and flexibilities related to the December 2024 deadline for recipients to obligate ARPA SLFRF funds.
Passage of the CRA would overturn the Obligation IFR and negate associated FAQs, providing counties with key flexibilities in obligating funds.
NACo urges county leaders to contact US Senator Ben Cardin and US Senator Chris Van Hollen and encourage them to oppose the CRA to overturn the US Treasury’s Obligation IFR.
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