US Treasury broadens COVID relief uses for states, localities

UNDATED (AP)- President Joe Biden’s administration is giving state and local governments greater flexibility in spending $350 billion in federal COVID-19 aid. The new rules from the U.S. Treasury Department come nearly 10 months after Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act. Some cities and counties had said the initial rules were too rigid. The rules released this week (Jan. 3-7, 2022) relax requirements for governments to prove revenue losses in order to spend the money more freely. Among other things, they allow spending on more types of construction projects and broaden eligibility for high-speed internet projects.