On Thursday, March 11, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The American Rescue Plan authorizes authority and funding to support COVID-19 response and recovery. To help contain COVID-19 and achieve herd immunity, the American Rescue Plan allocates approximately $14 billion for vaccination production, distribution, and administration and $47.8 billion for COVID-19 detection and tracing.
Among many investments to address the ripple effects from COVID-19, the American Rescue Plan directs payments to help assist qualifying Americans, an additional $7.25 billion towards the small-business Paycheck Protection Program, approximately $125.8 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, approximately $4.5 billion towards the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and $21.55 billion for emergency rental assistance. There is also an investment in Americans’ transportation system: approximately $30 billion for transit costs, $8 billion for airports, $3 billion to aid the aerospace manufacturing industry, $1.5 billion to assist Amtrak employees, and $15 billion to support airlines.
The American Rescue Plan also authorizes an extension of unemployment benefits until September 6, 2021, expands the child tax credit temporarily, and treats any student loan forgiveness passed between December 31, 2020, and January 1, 2026, as tax-free.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler joins Mayors across the nation to applaud the final passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
“The American Rescue Plan includes a suite of critical and comprehensive investments in supporting the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic. I applaud our nation’s President and Congress for listening and prioritizing the American people and bringing direct, immediate, and equitable relief,” Mayor Wheeler said. “I want to thank all of the residents, businesses, and non-profit organizations who wrote letters, made phone calls, and signed petitions urging passage of the American Rescue Plan. I also want to thank our City Bureau employees who are working day after day to bring more resources to bear to help Portlanders. Only together are we able to see the American Rescue Plan cross the finish line. Only together shall we prevail over COVID-19.
"The City of Portland is convening across City bureaus to ready itself for the task to deploy these resources in a swift and equitable manner," Mayor Wheeler continued. "The City of Portland builds upon a strong foundation of COVID-19 response and recovery programs across many of our Bureaus. These relief programs are administered in partnership with community-based organizations, local businesses, and grassroots mutual aid efforts. We’re eager to continue to build upon that foundation to help our City.”
Portland City Council will hold a public work session on City Council’s YouTube Channel (eGovPDX) on April 1, 2021, to discuss how the American Rescue Plan can bolster Portland’s COVID-19 response and recovery.
Interested to learn more about the City’s COVID-19 priorities?
- Read the summary of the City’s Core Values. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bhr/article/767045
- Read the City’s COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery Resolution (May 2020). https://www.portland.gov/sites/default/files/2020/city-auditor-city-recorder-council-documents-381-2020-declare-intent-to-centralize-guide-and-coordinate-covid-19-efforts-that-bolster-progress-towards-the-city-s-covid-19-long-term-recovery-_-see-resolut.pdf
- Read the City’s COVID-19 Equity Toolkit. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/80898
Want to learn more about what the City and partners accomplished with the CARES ACT?
- Read the City’s latest blog post. The City's Response to COVID-19 | Portland.gov
- Listen and watch City Council’s work session. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NrU-K9SjYE