Attorneys General Urge Congress to Pass Extension for CARES Act Funding

Attorney General Chris Carr has joined a coalition of attorneys general representing 43 states, the District of Columbia and 5 U.S. territories, urging Congress to extend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economy (CARES) Act funding until the end of 2021.

“The CARES Act is delivering critical resources to local governments, businesses, nonprofits, and families,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “We believe this is a sensible solution to continue this much needed relief for our communities.”

The attorneys general urge Congress to pass one of the several pending measures to give states and local communities additional time to utilize the precious COVID-relief resources. COVID-19 has negatively impacted nearly every facet of American society. In anticipation of unprecedented costs and economic disruption stemming from the pandemic, Congress passed the CARES Act in March. The move provided more than $2 trillion in economic stimulus to state and local governments in an effort to combat the impacts of the pandemic. One of the restrictions placed on the funding, however, limits the money’s use to expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020. As the pandemic continues, states and local communities will continue to incur COVID-related expenses. By extending the deadline, communities nationwide will be able to be more strategic with the use of CARES Act funds.

The effort is being led by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller. It was signed by attorneys general representing the following states and territories and sent to Congress today: Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.