Figure 5 shows our estimate of federal COVID-19-related funding that tribal governments will use for the administration of programs and to provide services. a matter relating to agency management or personnel or to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts. 5 U.S.C. The rule involves a matter relating to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts and is therefore exempt under the terms of the APA.Start Printed Page 4183. that is degrading to another person. Third COVID-19 Relief Bill Becomes Law (H.R. If a recipient would have decommissioned equipment or not renewed a lease on particular office space or equipment but decides to continue to use the equipment or to renew the lease in order to respond to the public health emergency, are the costs associated with continuing to operate the equipment or the ongoing lease payments eligible expenses? Please see the answer provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) available at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/cares-act-coronavirus-relief-fund-frequently-asked-questions. General. This result provides equitable treatment to governments that, for example, instead of having a few employees who are substantially dedicated to the public health emergency, have many employees who have a minority of their time dedicated to the public health emergency. 1. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Furthermore, as discussed in the Guidance above, as with any other cost, an administrative cost that has been or will be reimbursed under any federal program may not be covered with the Fund. executive order no. Yes, assuming that the recipient considers the grants to be a necessary expense incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and the grants meet the other requirements for the use of Fund payments under section 601(d) of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance. The methodology allows tribes to include all revenue from tribal enterprises, including gaming. 35. The most recently approved budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government, without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 3. For example, a recipient may use payments from the Fund to cover hazard pay for a police officer coming in close contact with members of the public to enforce public health or Start Printed Page 4186public safety orders, but across-the-board hazard pay for all members of a police department regardless of their duties would not be able to be covered with payments from the Fund. 254 through 256). In particular, financial assistance to private hospitals could take the form of a grant or a short-term loan. The CARES Act also requires that payments be used only to cover costs that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020. Accordingly, the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund (CAF) will cover the costs of administering COVID-19 vaccines to patients whose health insurance doesn't cover vaccine administration fees, or does but typically . 2. A few highlights of what's included in the package: Creates a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund for state, local and tribal governments. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, No. As with all uses of payments from the Fund, the use of payments to acquire or improve property is limited to that which is necessary due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The American Rescue Plan provides that FRF must be used for the following costs incurred by Dec. 31, 2024: On May 10, 2021, The Treasury Department issued several documents related to the implementation and administration of FRF. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act") provided Massachusetts with a total of approximately $2.5 billion through the new Coronavirus Relief Fund (CvRF) to use for expenditures related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Payroll or benefits expenses for employees whose work duties are not substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency.Start Printed Page 4185. on Treasury is pleased to accept requests for Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The State incurs an obligation to FEMA in the amount of the payment to the ineligible individual. has no substantive legal effect. A State's obligation to FEMA for making an improper payment to an individual under the lost wages assistance program is not incurred due to the public health emergency and, therefore, payments made pursuant to this obligation would not be an eligible use of the Fund. Enhanced Federal Match for Medicaid Programs. 41. Although a broad range of uses is allowed, revenue replacement is not a permissible use of Fund payments. No. documents in the last year, 11 Finally, the CARES Act provides that payments from the Fund may only be used to cover costs that were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 31, 2021 (the covered period). The Canada Community Revitalization Fund provides up to $750,000 or $1 million to not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, public institutions and Indigenous communities for projects to revitalize communities across Canada. Within this category of substantially different uses, as stated in the Guidance above, Treasury has included payroll and benefits expenses for public safety, public health, health care, human services, and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Threats of harming another The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) provides that the notice, public comment, and delayed effective date requirements of 5 U.S.C. Yes, to the extent that the restrictions facilitate the State's compliance with the requirements set forth in section 601(d) of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance and other applicable requirements such as the Single Audit Act, discussed below. How does a government determine whether payroll expenses for a given employee satisfy the substantially dedicated condition? Investments in broadband for areas that are currently unserved or underserved. 34. Marie. The new COVID-19 relief bill include $31.2 billion for native communities and tribal governments. Yes, provided that the transferred funds are used by the local government for eligible expenditures under the statute. According to the tribes information office, the amount received in the first of two allocations is identified as $50,966,838.27. The guidance published below is unchanged from the last version of the guidance dated September 2, 2020,[1] 29. documents in the last year, 20 However, tribes must request the payment through the Treasury Department's portal. This page is for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments that are requesting Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Similarly, in recognition of the likelihood of supply chain disruptions and increased demand for certain goods and services during the COVID-19 public health emergency, if a recipient enters into a contract requiring the delivery of goods or performance of services by December 31, 2021, the failure of a vendor to complete delivery or services by December 31, 2021, will not affect the ability of the recipient to use payments from the Fund to cover the cost of such goods or services if the delay is due to circumstances beyond the recipient's control. The purpose of COVID-19 Assistance to help eligible Tribal Members maintain their health, well-being, independence, and quality of life during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Officials said states and. On September 2, 2020, the Supplemental Guidance on Use of Funds to Cover Payroll and Benefits of Public Employees and Supplemental Guidance on Use of Funds to Cover Administrative Costs sections were added. Regardless of how the assistance is structured, the financial assistance provided would have to be related to COVID-19. The cost of projects that would not be expected to increase capacity to a significant extent until the need for distance learning and telework have passed due to this public health emergency would not be necessary due to the public health emergency and thus would not be eligible uses of Fund payments. In determining the business' eligibility for the grant, the recipient should not rely on self-certifications provided to the SBA. person will not be tolerated. the current document as it appeared on Public Inspection on This site displays a prototype of a Web 2.0 version of the daily 50. May a State receiving a payment transfer funds to a local government? The Guidance says that funding can be used to meet payroll expenses for public safety, public health, health care, human services, and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. WASHINGTON A federal judge on Monday ordered Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to distribute $679 million in emergency COVID-19 relief funds to Native American tribes that should have gotten it months ago, and he chided the agency for causing "irreparable harm" with its delays. racist or sexually-oriented language. On October 19, 2020, Questions A.57-59 and B.13 were added and Questions A.42, 49, and 53 were revised. Fund payments are subject to the following requirements in the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR part 200): 2 CFR 200.303 regarding internal controls, 2 CFR 200.330 through 200.332 regarding subrecipient monitoring and management, and subpart F regarding audit requirements. The calculation assumes at least 4.1 percent growth annually. Although FRF is a substantial capital infusion, tribes should not lose track of other potential sources of funding through the American Rescue Plan and other legislative packages that may be passed this year. documents in the last year, 513 Remaining quarterly reports will cover one calendar quarter and must be submitted 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Territories and Tribal governments navigating the impact of the . In addition, pursuant to section 5001(b) of Division A of the CARES Act, payments from the Fund are subject to the requirements contained in the Further Appropriations Act of 2020 (Pub. Fund payments may be used only for expenditures necessary to address the current COVID-19 public health emergency. The new deadlines are highlighted. Remarks by Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Rosenberg for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes at the Association of Women in International Trade. Sixty-five percent ($12.35 billion) will be allocated pro rata based on each tribe's self-certified enrollment data. If a small business received a Small Business Administration (SBA) Payment Protection Program (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) grant or loan due to COVID-19, may the small business also receive a grant from a unit of government using payments from the Fund? The bulk of Coronavirus Relief Fund assistance was allocated to state governments, but . The Guidance provides, as an example of an eligible use of payments from the Fund, expenditures related to the provision of grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures. Law and Justice. 6. Learn more about PPP COVID-19 EIDL This low-interest loan provides help to businesses experiencing revenue loss. Addressing health disparities and the social determinants of health through funding for community health workers. Medicaid is an entitlement program whose costs generally are shared between the federal government and states based on a set formula. Is there a Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number assigned to the Fund? This repetition of headings to form internal navigation links The lost wages assistance payment to the ineligible individual would be deemed to be an ineligible. 3. States are fully permitted to use payments from the Fund to satisfy 100% of their cost share for lost wages assistance recently made available under the Stafford Act. May payments from the Fund be used for real property acquisition and improvements and to purchase equipment to address the COVID-19 public health emergency? Payments to tribal governments were determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.