President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan is getting Virginia back on track with over $7.3 billion for state and local governments, $2.2 billion to help schools reopen safely, and over $800 million for childcare. While the package is overwhelmingly popular and has broad, bipartisan support from Virginians, GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin has called it “unnecessary.” Unfortunately for Virginia voters, they’re unable to find out if Youngkin is offering any alternative plans or has any policy proposals whatsoever because his website doesn’t even have an issues page.
“As President Biden’s American Rescue Plan continues helping Virginia’s workforce, public schools, and small businesses recover from this deadly pandemic, Glenn Youngkin’s opposition to COVID relief further underscores just how far he’s willing to go to keep Donald Trump happy,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Max Steele. “Youngkin opposed $1,400 relief checks for workers, opposed expanding the child tax credit for families, and opposed much-needed support for Virginia’s small businesses. But while Youngkin may be clueless, Virginians won’t be fooled. They rejected an out-of-touch, far-right, conspiracy theory peddling businessman in 2020 and they’ll do it again in 2021.”
News outlets across the commonwealth are reporting on how the American Rescue Plan is giving a boost to Virginia. See for yourself:
Washington Post: “Over the next two years, nearly half a billion dollars is expected to flow to the region’s largest jurisdictions from the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion relief package meant to help offset the financial harm caused by the pandemic. Flush with this extra cash, however, local officials are not just discussing how to address the damage wrought by the novel coronavirus. They are also thinking long-term toward much larger projects, including ones that have long been on county and city to-do lists, items including affordable housing, flood mitigation and broadband improvements.”
The Virginian Pilot: “The American Rescue Plan will pump more than $790 million of pandemic relief funds into the Hampton Roads economy through funding to local governments and area colleges and universities. The plan, enacted earlier this year, is giving $618 million to Hampton Roads cities and counties, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced. The state government will get nearly $4.3 billion — the combined total of funds for the state and its cities and counties comes to $7.2 billion, the senators said.”
Virginia Mercury: “Virginia’s share of the American Rescue Plan also includes huge set-asides for the field. According to Griffey, that includes $488 million for child care stabilization grants — 90 percent of which must go directly to providers — and an additional $305 million aimed at expanding family waiver eligibility or making system improvements.”
Richmond Times-Dispatch: “Conditions appear ripe for a revival of Virginia’s economy, with state budget revenues soaring and Gov. Ralph Northam making plans with General Assembly leaders for $4.3 billion in emergency federal aid to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, replenish the state’s unemployment trust fund and make long-term investments in broadband, public schools and public health. Northam and assembly leaders announced those priorities on Wednesday but did not set a date for a special legislative session to make budget decisions for the state’s share of $7.2 billion in federal money that will flow into Virginia from the American Rescue Plan Act that President Joe Biden signed on March 11. Counties, cities and towns across Virginia will receive $2.9 billion.”
Published: Jun 15, 2021 | Last Modified: Jun 29, 2021