NACo outlines priorities to Congress to battle coronavirus
NACo outlined its top priorities last week in a letter to Congress as Capitol Hill leaders mull a fourth stimulus package to help the country dig out from the mire of the coronavirus pandemic.
Counties across the country are facing economic shortfalls as COVID-19 breaks budgets related to battling the virus. Local governments have projected an unanticipated $23 billion budget impact in the first two weeks of the coronavirus pandemic alone, according to a report out by Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).
Learn More
“As we work to protect our citizens, local businesses and economies, we are making significant financial investments to address immediate public health and safety needs,” NACo said in its letter to congressional leadership. “At the same time, we are experiencing massive and unprecedented declines in revenue as a result of the economic downturn and are working to quickly reprogram resources and staff to respond to the crisis.”
“The decline in revenue is occurring when the need for county services and functions is skyrocketing for things like child protective services, emergency 911 assistance, law enforcement and emergency management, nutrition assistance programs, assistance for older Americans and affordable housing, all of which are becoming more complicated and costly to maintain.”
A small sampling of those priorities includes a flexible relief fund for counties of all sizes, clear federal guidance on the release of personal protective gear and medical equipment, expanding support for local Medicaid programs, suspending changes to Medicaid financing, increasing resources for county veteran service offices and increasing SNAP benefits. Read the entire letter here.
Attachments
Related News
Census Bureau proposes permanent changes to the 2030 Decennial Census
On September 10, the U.S Census Bureau published a proposed rule to the 2030 Decennial Census that would create two new parts of the 15 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that among other changes would a) define “usual residence” that excludes foreign persons previously counted that are not U.S. citizens or lawful residents, and b) would eliminate any questions about race, ethnicity and sexual orientation from the census questionnaire used to enumerate the population. The proposed ruling outlines only 30 days for public comments, which are due on October 13.
Congress passes short-term funding bill, keeping the federal government funded through Dec. 11 and delaying OMB rule
The U.S. Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend government funding through December 11 and delay the OMB proposed rule on Unform Guidance that governs how every federal grant can be administered.
USPS rule to restrict mail-in ballots makes its way through federal courts after ruling by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision to allow the Trump administration to move forward with its Executive Order 14399 directing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to compile official U.S. citizenship lists to be used in voter citizenship verification and the U.S. Postal Service to impose new mail-in ballot restrictions.