American Rescue Plan
Biden launches ‘Investing in Rural America’ push with Cabinet officials
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and administration officials are kicking off an “Investing in Rural America” event series, starting with a visit to a Minnesota farm Wednesday to announce nearly $5 billion for conservation, economic development and “climate smart” agriculture. Biden, who is running for reelection in 2024, has been highlighting what the administration calls […]
States, cities turn to community organizations to battle wage theft
About five years ago, most of Minneapolis’ Subway, Little Caesars and McDonald’s franchise restaurants did not comply with city wage standards. Now workers at each of the locations that violated the law receive the required minimum wage and time off when they’re sick. This is all thanks to a co-enforcement program, where the city’s labor […]
U.S. House panel probes extent of fraud in federal COVID-19 relief programs
WASHINGTON — From 2020 to 2022, a group of Minnesotans pretended to be serving meals to low-income children, all the while filing for reimbursement under a federal COVID-19 relief program aimed to buoy child nutrition as schools and childcare centers closed. In all, the schemers defrauded the government of $250 million, the Minnesota Reformer reported. […]
SESSION SNAPSHOT: Drag queens, snow, masks and education at the Arkansas State Capitol
The third week of Arkansas’ 94th General Assembly began with the Senate’s passage of a bill to restrict drag shows the same as strip clubs and porn shops, and it ended with a long, tense hearing over a school bathroom bill. Between the culture war battles, the state House and Senate have started passing legislation […]
U.S. mayors at the White House hear praise from Biden on rebuilding post-pandemic
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden hosted more than 200 of the nation’s mayors at the White House on Friday afternoon, highlighting economic growth and the effectiveness of their bipartisan leadership as the country moves on from the COVID-19 pandemic. “I want to thank the mayors across the country for doing everything they can do to […]
Arkansas Legislative Council approves rural hospital aid, court system funds
Arkansas legislators gave final approval on Friday for a new Southwest Arkansas hospital to receive $6.25 million in federal relief funds and voted down an attempt to take up several more federal aid requests. The Arkansas Legislative Council’s Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review subcommittee green-lit the American Rescue Plan Act funds for Sevier County Medical […]
Two Midwest communities find a cure for medical debt: pandemic stimulus funds
Local governments in Ohio and Illinois are using American Rescue Plan Act money to relieve residents struggling with medical debt by partnering with an organization that buys debt and wipes the slate clean for debtors. It’s a strategy advocates say could be duplicated across the country to help erase a multibillion-dollar problem. On Nov. 9, […]
Arkansas panel OKs $34.8 million in federal relief funds, but again delays other requests
An Arkansas Legislative Council subcommittee on Tuesday approved requests for $34.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding while again delaying action on more than a dozen proposals that have been held since September. During a Sept. 13 meeting, Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review subcommittee members expressed frustration that there wasn’t a plan for prioritizing […]
11 states to share in $1 billion in funding for small businesses, entrepreneurs
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced Tuesday that an additional 11 states will receive up to $1 billion to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. Funding for the programs will come from the State Small Business Credit Initiative that Democrats reauthorized and expanded in their $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan. […]
Arkansas lawmakers OK funding for Camden hospital, continue debate on federal pandemic relief
Arkansas legislators on Friday approved a request from the state Department of Human Services for up to $6 million in federal pandemic relief funding to support a Camden hospital at risk of closing. However, the Arkansas Legislative Council also sent three of four committee-approved projects back to its Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review subcommittee. Some […]
Arkansas lawmakers pass over pandemic relief projects, cite lack of priorities
Arkansas legislators on Tuesday approved just one of seven federal funding requests from state universities and colleges after expressing frustration that the state lacks a plan for appropriating dwindling American Rescue Plan Act funds. Black River Technical College received approval for $4.6 million in ARPA funds to construct a facility that would provide short-term housing […]
Committee approves $60M to help struggling rural Arkansas hospitals
Rural Arkansas hospitals at risk of permanently closing their doors should get short-term relief with $60 million of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act funds, a state panel unanimously recommended Wednesday. Hospitals statewide saw less revenue over the past two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some are in “immediate jeopardy of […]