CT to receive $4 billion+ in COVID relief under ‘American Rescue Plan’

(WTNH) — If it passes, Governor Ned Lamont says the $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus plan could bring about $4 billion to our state.

This afternoon, the governor said the state will receive $2.6 billion in state relief and another $1.6 billion in local relief, help for towns and municipalities.

The governor said that women have been hard hit during the pandemic. This bill will put a focus attention on affordable daycare. The governor was joined on his COVID briefing Monday by Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy.

Senator Murphy is on both the education and the appropriations committees. The rescue plan puts a strong emphasis on supporting children and schools.

“I wanted to make sure that we were spending money on special education students with high learning needs. And on summer programs,” U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut. “We’re gonna need to make sure all of those kids that have been chronically absent, the kids who haven’t signed on to online learning, who haven’t shown up to in-person learning. We get them into summer programs.”

Senator Murphy said it’s important that some students will need the summer to catch up with learning loss. He also said a lot just need to have an “emotionally healthy experience this summer.”

Governor Lamont said the funds will be distributed through 2024.