Hogan: ‘Historic bipartisan agreement’ reached on allocation of federal COVID-19 funds

Hogan: ‘Historic bipartisan agreement’ reached on allocation of federal COVID-19 funds

Gov. Larry Hogan announces a bipartisan budget agreement on Wednesday afternoon (Screenshot)

@BryanRenbaum

Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday that a bipartisan agreement has been reached on how to allocate the $3.9 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds that Maryland is poised to receive from the recent passage of the American Rescue Plan Act.

“I’m pleased to announce today that we have once again reached an historic bipartisan agreement on a fiscally responsible budget accord which effectively targets relief to Marylanders most in need,” Hogan said at a news conference at the State House in Annapolis.

Hogan was accompanied by Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones. Both lawmakers echoed sentiments similar to that of the governor.

“We would not be here today if weren’t about collaboration and the spirit of getting things done for Marylanders,” Ferguson said.

“Today is another great day for bipartisanship in the state of Maryland,” Jones said.

The agreement includes plans to provide:

-$1.1 billion for the Maryland Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund

  • $800 million for the state’s emergency economic relief programs
  • $600 million to help safely reopen the state’s schools
  • $300 million for investments in broadband technology
  • $100 million for the state’s apprentice ships programs
  • $100 million for essential state employee salaries
  • $500 million for infrastructure and transit upgrades
  • $300 million for aid low-income Marylanders to help pay for services such as utilities and to fund the Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) program

The agreement comes as lawmakers are in the process of trying to iron out a final agreement on the state’s $49 billion FY 2022 budget. The budget has passed both the House and Senate in different forms.

About The Author

Bryan Renbaum

[email protected]

Reporter Bryan Renbaum served as the Capitol Hill Correspondent for Talk Media News for the past three-and-a-half years, filing print, radio and video reports on the Senate and the House of Representatives. He covered congressional reaction to the inauguration of President Donald Trump as well as the confirmation hearings of attorneys general Jeff Sessions and William Barr and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He also filed breaking news reports on the 2017 shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and three others. Previously Bryan broke multiple stories with the Baltimore Post-Examiner including sexual assault scandals at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a texting scandal on the women’s lacrosse team at that school for which he was interviewed by ABC’s “Good Morning America.” He also covered the Maryland General Assembly during the 2016 legislative session as an intern for Maryland Reporter. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from McDaniel College. If you have additional questions or comments contact Bryan at: [email protected]

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