On February 9, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Reconciliation Act bill, which includes the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. These funds would provide $350 billion to help states, counties, cities and tribal governments cover increased expenditures, replenish lost revenue and mitigate economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic.

To find your county’s estimated allocation through the proposed State and Local Coronavirus Recovery Funds, click here.

The measure outlines that states, along with the District of Columbia, would receive about $195 billion, distributed mostly upon each state’s share of unemployed workers. Local governments would receive about $130 billion, split evenly between municipalities and counties, resulting in a direct county allocation based on population of $65.1 billion dollars. Tribal governments would receive $20 billion and U.S. territories would receive $4.5 billion.

The U.S. Department of Treasury would oversee and administer these payments to state and local governments, and every county would be eligible to receive a direct allocation from Treasury. Once an eligible entity provides a certification on the use or needs of funds to the U.S. Treasury, the agency is required to make the payment within 60-days. These funds are available until expended by the recipient.

NACo applauds the Committee for introducing this much-needed bill that recognizes the vital, frontline role of America’s counties in mitigating and ending the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill is a significant step in addressing the urgent needs of our nation’s county governments as we continue to provide essential services to more than 300 million residents.

The U.S. House is aiming to pass its COVID-19 relief bill before the end of February, with individual committees busy marking up and considering their respective pieces of the legislation – a process that will be replicated by the U.S. Senate. Once both chambers have completed this process, they will meet to reconcile differences and send a final bill to the president's desk for his signature.