Summary & Timeline of Federal Covid Relief Bills

In March 2020, Congress passed an $8.3 billion bipartisan emergency spending measure to fund the federal government's response to the coronavirus and to assist state and local governments.

The response package:

• Commits more than $3 billion to the development of treatments and a vaccine available to all, and protects against price-gouging of medicines developmed with taxpayer dollars
• Provides $2.2 billion in prevention, preparedness and response measures, including a nearly billion dollars to help state, local, tribal and territorial health systems
• Helps families by extending telemedicine services regardless of where they live and supports small businesses, with billions in low-interest SBA loans to those affected.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Later in March 2020, Congress took the next step with the passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which takes science-based measures to ensure the safety and well-being of families. This legislation secures:

• Families' Health Safety: this legislation ensures free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. This legislation also increases funding for Medicaid to support local, state, tribal and territorial health systems, so that they have the resources needed to combat this public health emergency.
• Families' Economic Security: the bill provides paid sick leave, medical family and emergency leave for eligible workers and enhances Unemployment Insurance. It also supports small businesses by reimbursing them for providing leave.
• Families' Food Security: the legislation strengthens nutrition initiatives including SNAP, student meals, seniors' meals and food banks.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES)

On March 27th, 2020 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) was signed into law to aid families and workers. The legislation:

• Combats the Virus: $200 billion allocated towards investing in hospitals, health systems and health research; $150 billion for state and local governments
• Aid for Workers: $260 billion investment in unemployment insruance benefits to match the average paycheck of laid-off or furloughed workers; 13 weeks of additional federally-funded benefits
• Help for Small Business: $377 billion infusion of relief for small businesses affected by COVID-19; $10 billion for Small Business Administration (SBA) emergency grants of up to $10,000 and making payroll costs, rent, mortgage interest and utility costs eligible for SBA loan forgiveness

A comprehensive toolkit for how the CARES Act benefits communities is available in both English and Spanish

The CARES Act Bill Summary

The Paycheck Protection Program

On April 23rd, 2020 Congress passed an interim funding package, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, to support small businesses,health careproviders, and testing.

This legislation provides:

• For Small Businesses: appropriating an additional $310 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program

• For Hospitals and Health care workers: $75 billion in resources, including Personal Protective Equipment

• For All Americans: $25 billion for testing

Covid-19 Relief and Fiscal 2021 Omnibus (December 2020 Covid Bill)

In December 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133) -- a $2.3 trillion spending bill that combines $900 billion in stimulus relief for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States with a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill for the 2021 federal fiscal year (combining 12 separate annual appropriations bills) and prevents a government shutdown.

The text of the spending package, H.R. 133, is available here.

-The year-end spending and aid package (Bill Summary)

A division-by-division summary of the appropriations provisions is here. A division-by-division summary of the coronavirus relief provisions is here. A division-by-division of the authorizing matters is here.

One-page fact sheets on critical Democratic priorities included among the appropriations provisions, the coronavirus relief provisions, and the authorizing matters are here, here, and here respectively.

Provisions of interest to Small Businesses, NonProfits and Entertainment Venues, here.

"America Rescue Plan" 2021 Covid Relief Legislation

In March 2021, the House has passed the finalized version of the Biden Administration's "American Rescue Plan".

For more details on the legislation, see an updated one-page summaryprepared by the House Budget Committee.

For a detailed 23 page overview of the provisions in the bill, click here.

For the complete bill text, click here.

The package builds on seveal other aid measures enacted in 2020. For more info on those bills, see:

-The CARES Act (Bill Summary)

"America Rescue Plan" 2021 Child Tax Credit Summary

On July 15, 2021, many families across the country began receiving crucial Child Tax Credit payments.

The enchanced payments, established by the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress and signed by President Biden earlier this year, are worth up to $3,000 per child ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 annually for children under 6 in 2021.

Eligible families received half of their credit in the form of monthly payments of up to $250 per school-age child and up to $300 per child under 6 from July through December 2021. The other half will be paid in a lump sum when parents file their 2021 taxes in the following tax season.

For more information, visit the IRS informational page here.