The American Rescue Plan

March 15, 2021

Congress officially passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP), and it was signed into law by President Biden on Thursday afternoon.

The ARP includes $6+ billion in state and municipal aid for Connecticut. State-level aid will allow for expanded unemployment benefits as well as increased vaccine purchasing and distribution. Municipal aid will go towards a wide range of local needs, including school reopening, contact tracing, and more.
 

The relief money breaks down into several categories.
  • About $2.6 billion to Connecticut’s state government, plus another $142 million for capital projects.
  • About $870 million in municipal aid to Connecticut cities and towns.
  • An additional $1.8 billion in educational aid, including $1.1 billion for K-12 schools, plus funds for child care, the Head Start program and higher education.
  • About $691 million to Connecticut counties, which, because the state lacks county government, will be dispersed to municipalities in proportion to their populations.