10/14/2021
Through
August, the state of Missouri spent $222 million of the $1.7 billion received
under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act for COVID-19 recovery efforts, reports
released today by State Auditor Nicole Galloway show. The reports are the first
to track spending of ARP funds, which Missouri began receiving in May 2021.
The
reports for July and August on ARP spending are part of Auditor Galloway's
ongoing review to help ensure accountability for the billions of federal
dollars coming into Missouri for COVID-19 response and recovery. Since June
2020, the State Auditor's Office has released monthly reports on the $4.77
billion Missouri has received through the CARES Act and other federal programs
for COVID-19 response efforts.
The
ARP Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in March
2021. The funding received by or made available to Missouri state government
agencies will help pay for the state's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. ARP
funding includes state and local recovery aid, temporary additional federal
matching funds for the state's Medicaid program, funding for K-12 schools and
institutions of higher education, and funding for various other assistance and
benefit programs.
In
August, the state disbursed approximately $121.7 million to the Missouri
Housing Development Commission for housing and rental assistance, and about
$100.5 million to smaller local governments from the Coronavirus Local
Government Fiscal Recovery Fund. Approximately $1.34 billion received for the
Coronavirus State Government Fiscal Recovery Fund had not been disbursed, as of
Aug. 31.
The
complete Federal ARP Act Funding for COVID-19 Recovery report for August can be
found here. The report for July can be found here.
The
most recent of the CARES Act reports from Auditor Galloway are here and here.