The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has unanimously adopted final rules to implement the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program. This $7.17 billion program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, will enable schools and libraries to purchase laptop and tablet computers, Wi-Fi hotspots, and broadband connectivity for students, school staff, …
Read More »Federal Judge Cancels CDC’s Eviction Moratorium
A federal judge on Wednesday struck down a nationwide moratorium on evictions that was implemented as the pandemic raged through the United States. In a 20-page order, a federal judge ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not have the legal authority to issue the eviction moratorium. …
Read More »IRS To Start Sending Unemployment Benefit Tax Refunds This Month
The IRS will start issuing extra refund checks on 2020 unemployment benefits later this month. The American Rescue Plan, which President Joe Biden signed into law on March 11, retroactively waived federal taxes on the first $10,200 worth of unemployment aid received per person in 2020. Married taxpayers filing jointly …
Read More »Democrats Unveil ‘Care Infrastructure’ Plan; Includes Paid Leave And Child Care
Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) unveiled a ‘Care Infrastructure‘ Plan that includes universal paid family and medical leave, guaranteed access to child care, and permanently extending worker and family-related refundable tax credits from the American Rescue Plan. The Building an Economy for Families Act …
Read More »Biden To Launch Biggest Summer Food Program In U.S. History
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new effort on Monday that will feed more than 30 million children over the summer by expanding the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits funded by President Joe Biden‘s American Rescue Plan. P-EBT was established in March 2020 to provide food dollars …
Read More »Mitt Romney And Kyrsten Sinema Are Crafting Bipartisan Legislation To Increase Minimum Wage
Republican Senator Mitt Romney and Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema are working together to establish bipartisan legislation to increase the minimum wage. “We’re negotiating a minimum wage proposal which we would ultimately take to our group of 20 and see how they would react to it and go from there,” Romney …
Read More »HUD Unveils $5 Billion In Grants To Target Homelessness
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge today announced the allocation of nearly $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to help communities across the country create affordable housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Secretary Fudge made the announcement …
Read More »Biden Promises Help To Tackle Drug Addiction Crisis
The Biden Administration revealed its first-year plan to address the nation’s addiction crisis, with 7 priorities highlighted and a focus on the inequality of treatment access. In a video message delivered during the 10th annual Drug and Heroin Summit, President Biden noted that fatal opioid overdoses surged last year as …
Read More »IRS Says Social Security Recipients Should Get Stimulus Checks On April 7
After a delay in issuing checks to about 30 million Social Security and other government program recipients, the IRS said it has a date for when they’ll at last receive their $1,400 stimulus payments. The IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department has said that stimulus payments from the $1.9 trillion …
Read More »Biden Administration Extends Affordable Care Act Special Enrollment Period
The Affordable Care Act special enrollment period will be extended for three months to August 15 the Biden Administration announced Tuesday. “As a result of the American Rescue Plan, additional savings will be available for consumers through HealthCare.gov starting April 1,” a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and …
Read More »Maryland Governor Bans Garnishment Of Stimulus Checks
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan banned debt collectors from garnishing Marylanders’ latest round of federal stimulus checks Monday. Under Hogan’s latest order on stimulus checks, financial institutions have to consider American Rescue Plan stimulus checks as “protected and cannot be subject to a court-ordered garnishment,” according to a release. “For more than a …
Read More »What Are The Next Steps For The Covid Relief Bill
On Saturday, the Senate passed President Biden‘s $1.9 trillion Covid Relief bill known as the American Rescue Plan. The legislation includes a direct payment of up to $1,400 for an individual, or $2,800 for a couple that files jointly, plus an additional $1,400 per dependent. It extends jobless benefits through …
Read More »Senate Passes Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief Bill
After a 25-hour plus marathon voting session, the Senate has passed a $1.9 trillion covid relief package. The American Rescue Plan passed on a 50-49 party-line vote with no Republicans voting for the bill. Alaskan Republican Senator Dan Sullivan left Washington D.C on Friday to attend his father-in-law’s funeral, so Vice …
Read More »House Passes Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Relief Bill, Senate Fate Uncertain
The House passed President Biden‘s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package early Saturday morning almost entirely along partisan lines. The bill, known as the American Rescue Plan, passed 219-212. No Republicans voted for it, and two Democrats voted against it: Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Rep. Jared Golden of Maine. The bill now …
Read More »President Biden Extends Mortgage Relief And Bans Foreclosures Through June
President Joe Biden announced a program extension for mortgage relief and extended the ban for home foreclosures through June 30. “The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a housing affordability crisis,” The White House said. ” Now, homeowners will receive urgently needed relief as we face this unprecedented national emergency. Today’s action …
Read More »