The 591-page American Rescue Plan is full of “pork.” Supposedly it is to fight and provide covid relief, but the bill instead is designed to cure social inequities. Keep in mind that these amounts are in addition to what is already budgeted for in these areas. Even programs directly addressing the pandemic contain funds for items not directly related.
Sadly, I think the media is doing a disservice by not bringing these items to the public’s attention. Here are just some of them:
• $1.5 million for Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway development
• $1.5 billion for Amtrak — the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
• $1 billion for loan assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers
• $7.6 billion for improved internet access
• $19 million for the National Institute for the Deaf
• $270 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities
• $39 billion for child care block grants
• $20 million to update the Affordable Care Act exchange technology
• $5 billion for homelessness assistance services
• $50 billion for FEMA
• $4 billion to farmers for loan forgiveness and to help those denied loans
• $4 billion to expand Child Tax Credit to $3,600.
• $73 billion to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit
• $130 billion for K-12 schools for covid and to hire support staff
• $40 billion for colleges for covid and increased low income student aid
• $39 billion for child care providers
• $35.5 billion for increased Affordable Care Act subsidies
• $350 billion for state and local governments
• $880 million to expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Tens of billions for government manpower and oversight
Tom Cerra
Latrobe