What Biden’s American Rescue Plan Brings to North Carolina

Nearly a year ago exactly, North Carolina came to terms with a grim reality: The coronavirus was here. The ensuing months have been difficult, but there are signs of relief. Positive COVID cases have been dropping, as have hospitalizations. Unemployment is trending in the right direction, too.

That’s why President Biden’s American Rescue Plan is so important: It will continue progress on both fronts and bring sorely needed relief to North Carolinians. It shows us how consequential an active, functional government can be in the lives of everyday people.

The best-known component of the bill is the stimulus check. A married couple with two children and a combined income of less than $150,000 can expect to see $1,400 per person, adding up to $5,600 total. But what else does the legislation accomplish? Quite a lot for North Carolina, with the potential for close to $9 billion going to the state and to local governments.

Health and human services money will go toward expanding vaccine access and testing capacity. Already, North Carolina is on pace to meet or exceed its goal to have capacity for anyone to get the vaccine starting May 1. More than one in five North Carolinians has received at least one dose. At current rates, a sizable portion of the state will be inoculated by the summer.

As North Carolina schools begin safely reopening, the American Rescue Plan injects billions of dollars to bolster our education system, including an estimated $2,300 per pupil funding. Millions will go toward after-school programs and summer enrichment, providing needed opportunities for students to stay on track after a difficult year of virtual learning.

Families across the state have been forced to defer rent while they struggle to find work and balance budgets. Money to shore up rent payments will keep people afloat while the economy continues to improve. Extended SNAP benefits will ensure that struggling people have access to food.

Perhaps the most consequential feature is the monthly benefit for parents with children: $300 per child under 5 years old and $250 for children up to 17. The payments will help decrease childhood poverty, ensuring children are fed, clothed and housed. Millions of parents and children stand to benefit from this provision in North Carolina alone, where some 40% of children live in poor or low-income households, according to the advocacy group NC Child.

The American Rescue Plan is a jump-start to our recovery, putting money in pockets and shots in arms. North Carolinians are resilient; the past year proves it. With the funding provided by this landmark legislation, we can continue building a North Carolina that works better for everyone. For our part, it’s essential that leaders in Raleigh put aside partisan politics and prioritize improving the lives of our citizens. The risk of doing too little far outweighs the risk of being bold.

Rep. Robert Reives is the Democratic Leader of the North Carolina House of Representatives.