As President Biden travels to Georgia today where he will visit the CDC and discuss his progress to defeat the virus, it’s clear that his American Rescue Plan will have a direct impact on Georgians. From direct $1,400 checks to funding for unemployment benefits, school reopenings, health care benefits and faster vaccine distribution, the American Rescue Plan is already getting much needed relief for Georgians. And with President Biden delivering on his promise of 100 million COVID vaccine shots in his first 100 days, almost two months ahead of schedule, Georgians and the rest of the country are closer than ever to defeating this pandemic.
A Look At How the American Rescue Plan is Helping Georgians:
Fact Sheet: Georgia & The American Rescue Plan
With the final passage of the American Rescue Plan, Georgia will benefit from at least $27.8 billion in funding from the federal government. This amount includes money for direct stimulus checks for Georgians as well as funding to open schools safely, fund child care, ramp up vaccinations and testing, provide rental assistance, cut health care costs, and provide state and local aid.
The American Rescue Plan’s Stimulus Payments Will Help 4.6 million Georgians Who Are Facing The Pandemic’s Economic Fallout
The American Rescue Plan includes direct stimulus payments of $1,400. According to the Congressional Research Service, about 4.6 million Georgians will receive these payments. In total, Georgians will receive about $12.4 billion.
The American Rescue Plan Will Expand Unemployment Benefits Through September, Benefitting Over 11 Million Americans, Including 253,518 Georgians
The American Rescue Plan will extend federal unemployment benefits through September, including for self-employed or contract workers and adds a $300-a-week federal supplement to state unemployment insurance payments. According to the Century Foundation, 11.4 million Americans will benefit from this provision of the American Rescue Plan, including 253,518 Georgians who will benefit from extended federal unemployment payments.
Georgia Public Schools And Colleges Will Receive Billions In Needed Funding From The American Rescue Plan To Open Safely
The American Rescue Plan includes $170 billion for K-12 and higher education, including $130 billion to enable K-12 schools to open safely during the pandemic. Another $35 billion will go toward higher education, including financial assistance for students. The remaining $5 billion will go to governors to use for any level of education in their states. According to the Congressional Research Service, Georgia will receive $4.2 billion in K-12 school funding to ensure that schools can open up safely. Georgia will also receive $1.2 billion in funding for higher education.
The American Rescue Plans Provides $24 Billion To Assist Child Care Providers, Including $971 Million For Georgia
The American Rescue Plan also creates a $24 billion fund to assist child care providers in financial distress, including those facing costs to improve safety amid the pandemic. According to the Congressional Research Service, Georgia will receive $971 million from this fund, which could help alleviate soaring child care costs for Georgia families.
The American Rescue Plan Provides Millions Of Dollars In Support For Head Start, Including $26.7 Million For Georgia
The American Rescue Plan provides $1 billion in funding for Head Start, a program that provides early childhood services to low-income families. According to the Congressional Research Service, Georgia will receive $26.7 million for Head Start.
Georgia’s Vaccine And Testing Operation Will Ramp Up Significantly With Additional Funds
The American Rescue Plan devotes $16 billion to a national vaccination program in partnership with states, localities, tribes and territories and includes $50 billion to buy rapid tests, expand lab capacity, and help schools and local governments conduct more tests. This funding will help Georgians get vaccinated faster.
Georgians Will See $562 Million In Emergency Rental Assistance From The American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan extends the eviction and foreclosure moratorium through September and includes $25 billion to help renters and small landlords with back rent and $5 billion for paying energy and water bills. According to Senate Democrats, Georgia will receive $562 million in emergency rental assistance funding.
The ARP’s Expanded Child Tax Credit Will Benefit 27 Million Children, Including 1,042,000 Georgia Children, And Lift 4.1 Million Children, Including 171,000 Georgia Children, Out Of Poverty
The American Rescue Plan includes an expansion of the Child Tax Credit that will cut child poverty by more than 40 percent. The plan makes the full Child Tax Credit available to children in families with low earnings and would increase the credit’s maximum amount to $3,000 per child and $3,600 for children under 6. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, this expansion will benefit 1,042,000 Georgia children and list 171,000 Georgia children out of poverty. In total, 91 percent of Georgia children will benefit from this expansion.
The American Rescue Plan Will Lower Healthcare Costs For Georgians Who Purchase Healthcare Through The Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace
The American Rescue Plan lowers the cost of premiums for Georgians purchasing coverage through the ACA marketplace, ensuring enrollees have the option to purchase health care for less than 8.5 percent of their income for the next two years. For instance, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a family of four Georgians with an income of $120,000 would see savings of $608 a month, or $7,296 a year, under the American Rescue plan. The American Rescue Plan also provides robust financial incentives for the 14 states that have not yet implemented Medicaid expansion.
Georgia Will See $8.4 Billion In State And Local Aid From The American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan includes $350 billion in state and local funding. According to Senate Democrats, Georgia and its localities will receive $8.4 billion in funding.