CARES Act: Vermont and New Hampshire Allocations

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) became law. The CARES Act provides a $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic stimulus package, of which $150 billion will be allocated directly to states, territories, local and tribal governments through the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

The amount each state receives from the Coronavirus Relief Fund is based on the state’s population. Each state is to use its funds to cover costs that are necessary expenditures incurred due to the coronavirus between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020, and that were not accounted for in the state’s most recent budget. Vermont and New Hampshire will each receive $1.25 billion from the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

In addition to the Coronavirus Relief Fund, the CARES Act also contains about $340 billion in supplemental appropriations, about 80% of which will go to the states through designated programs.

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy’s office has indicated that Vermont intends to allocate the funds it receives through the CARES Act as follows:

  • $5.4 million to support public health preparedness and response activities through the Centers for Disease Control;
  • $4.7 million in Community Development Block Grant funding to support the expansion of community health facilities, child care centers, food banks, and senior services;
  • $5 million in Community Service Block Grants to address the consequences of increasing unemployed and economic disruption;
  • $4.3 million in Child Care Development Block Grants to support child care assistance to health care sector employees, emergency responders, sanitation workers and other works deemed essential during the coronavirus response;
  • $4.6 million for housing assistance grants through the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
  • $4.1 million in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (“LIHEAP”);
  • $20 million to support public transportation emergency relief;
  • $9.6 million to support Vermont’s airports;
  • $3 million in election assistance grants;
  • $2 million to support state and local law enforcement and corrections through the Byrne-Justice Assistance Grant program;
  • $826,000 through the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities to support museums, libraries and other organizations that have closed due to the virus;
  • $175,000 to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19 through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program; and
  • $862,000 in Emergency Preparedness Grants through the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s office has indicated that New Hampshire will allocate its CARES Act funding as follows:

  • $82.47 million for education which includes:
    • $37.6 million for elementary and secondary schools;
    • $36 million for higher education; and
    • $8.9 million for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund;
  • $37.8 million to help sustain public transit;
  • $6.94 million for child care;
  • $5.45 million for public health emergency preparedness;
  • $5.54 million in heating assistance for low-income families and seniors through LIHEAP;
  • $4.4 million to support law enforcement and the prison system;
  • $3.26 million for state election assistance;
  • $427,000 for arts and $423,000 humanities funding; and
  • $305,000 to support manufacturing.

Related Practice Areas

Business Law