RICHMOND—Governor Northam today released the following statement on the passage of HB 7001, which distributes $4.3 billion in federal assistance from the American Rescue Plan.
“I join Virginians in thanking the General Assembly for their hard work over many difficult months.
Together, we are using the American Rescue Plan to invest boldly and build Virginia back better. Starting this week:
This generational opportunity is a result of strong leadership.
Leaders in the General Assembly have worked hand-in-hand with my team to build our roaring economy—and it’s paying off. Our unemployment rate remains below our neighbors and is significantly lower than the national average, we have avoided devastating cuts to state government and critical services, and our Commonwealth has an historic $2.6 billion surplus.
While other states are closing budget gaps, we are investing in Virginians. We have consistently put resources into helping families, businesses, and communities recover from this pandemic and prepare for the future.
Let’s keep building upon this progress.”
HB 7001 allocates approximately $3.5 billion of the $4.3 billion in funding provided by the American Rescue Plan. The remaining $761 million remains available for programming in light of the evolving pandemic, and will be considered by the General Assembly when they convene next January.
President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law in March. It is a $1.9 trillion economic recovery plan that includes $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments. All Republican members of Congress voted against the law, including those representing Virginia.
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