You might remember me spending a ton of time and energy examining and summarizing the Democratic Platform for the election in 2020. If you’d like to review the plan, please click here.
In the next few weeks, I plan to begin updating you on what’s being (or been done so far.)
The Covid-19 Pandemic was of foremost concern for Joe Biden and the Democrats. They devoted whole “Plank” of their platform. And the first thing on the 2021 agenda became addressing the Pandemic with the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Protecting American and recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic.
So how does the ARP Act stack up to the what Joe Biden promised?
| We will | So that we | Action | Page in ARP Act |
| Make testing available, convenient, free | Save lives | Funding for COVID–19 testing, contact tracing, and mitigation activities. Funding for SARS–CoV–2 genomic sequencing and surveillance. Funding for global health. Funding for data modernization and forecasting center. | 37 |
| Expand Medicaid | Preserve and expand health insurance coverage | Mandatory coverage of COVID–19 vaccines and administration and treatment under Medicaid. Modifications to certain coverage under Medicaid for pregnant and postpartum women. State option to provide qualifying community-based mobile crisis inter- vention services. Temporary increase in FMAP for medical assistance under State Medicaid plans which begin to expend amounts for certain mandatory individuals. Extension of 100 percent Federal medical assistance percentage to Urban Indian Health Organizations and Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems. Sunset of limit on maximum rebate amount for single source drugs and innovator multiple source drugs. Additional support for Medicaid home and community-based services during the COVID–19 emergency. Funding for State strike teams for resident and employee safety in nurs- ing facilities. Special rule for the period of a declared public health emergency related to coronavirus. | 205 |
| Pick up the cost of COBRA; reopen ACA enrollment; offer a public option | Preserve and expand health insurance coverage | Premium assistance for COBRA continuation coverage for individuals and their families | 124 |
| Work with private-sector manufacturers to restore supplies of PPE | Ensure medical supplies are distributed according to need | The Defense Production Act of 1950 will be used for PPE | 51 |
| Enforce non-discrimination protections | Expand support for telemedicine; Improve oversight for residents and staff at nursing homes; Prohibit rationing | Emergency Rural Development grants for rural health care for telehealth; Monies for information technology, telehealth infrastructure, and the Indian Health Service electronic health records system; Grants to enhance capabilities of mental health professionals utilizing telehealth services. Support to Skilled Nursing Facilities in Response to COVID–19 by providing for infection control support to skilled nursing facilities through contracts with quality improvement organizations. Funding for strike teams for resident and employee safety in skilled nursing facilities. Not specifically addressed | 9, 237, 45 43, 124, 215 |
| Take steps to protect federal science from political influence | We are never again vulnerable to a global pandemic | Awards for research, development, and testbeds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. Funds or extend new and existing research grants, cooperative agreements, scholarships, fellowships, and apprenticeships, and related administrative expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. | 10 108
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Expand unemployment insurance system to cover gig, part-time, and tipped workers; make sure all companies pay into the systems. | Keep workers whole and take care of our workforce. | Additional enhanced benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insur- ance Act. Extended unemployment benefits under the Railroad Unemployment In- surance Act. Extension of waiver of the 7-day waiting period for benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. Extension of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Sec. 9012. Extension of emergency unemployment relief for governmental entities and nonprofit organizations. Extension of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. Extension of full Federal funding of the first week of compensable reg- ular unemployment for States with no waiting week. Extension of emergency State staffing flexibility. Sec. 9016. Extension of pandemic emergency unemployment compensation. Extension of temporary financing of short-time compensation payments in States with programs in law. Extension of temporary financing of short-time compensation agree- ments for States without programs in law. Extension of temporary assistance for States with advances. Extension of full Federal funding of extended unemployment compensa- tion. Suspension of tax on portion of unemployment compensation. | 10, 46, 115, 180, 221 |
| Expand nutrition assistance and food security programs; upgrade states’ unemployment system technology | Keep workers whole and take care of our workforce. | Additional assistance for SNAP online purchasing and technology improvements. Additional funding for nutrition assistance programs. Commodity supplemental food program. Improvements to WIC benefits. WIC program modernization. Meals and supplements reimbursements for individuals who have not attained the age of 25. Expand Families First Coronavirus Relief Act to any national emergency. | 12 |
| Extend aid to state and local governments, school districts, and public and nonprofit colleges and universities to address budget shortfalls and secure jobs; | Support and create jobs Prevent a depression | Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. Emergency assistance to non-public schools. Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Maintenance of effort and maintenance of equity. Outlying areas. Funding specific to Gallaudet University. Student aid administration. Fuding specific to Howard University. National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Institute of Education Sciences. Program administration. Office of Inspector General. Modification of revenue requirements for proprietary institutions of higher education. Funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. | 16 |
| Condition state and federal aid on maintaining and expanding public-sector employment | Support and create jobs Prevent a depression | No specific public-sector employment conditions found. | |
| Make child care affordable and widely available | Children are safe | Child Care and Development Block Grant Program. Child Care. Funds for Head Start. Funding for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Child abuse prevention and treatment. Emergency Assistance to Children and Families Child tax credit improvements for 2021. Application of child tax credit in possessions. Refundability and enhancement of child and dependent care tax credit. Child care assistance. | 27, 40, 204 |
| Help small business meet payroll, pay rent and other expenses | Businesses stay open | State Small Business Credit Initiative. Modifications to paycheck protection program. Targeted EIDL advance. Support for restaurants. Community navigator pilot program. Shuttered venue operators. Direct appropriations. | 64, 78 |
| Impose rigorous oversight on big corporations seeking assistance | CEOs and shareholders are not enriched | Throughout the ACT money is allocated for oversight of Airlines, Eduction, nutrition, HHS, Veterans Affairs, Consumer protection, transportation, Indian affairs, government accountability, and housing. No specific mention of accountability for big corporations. | |
| Enact robust paid sick leave protections; Enforce effective infectious disease workplace safety standards | No one needs to choose between protecting their health and earning a living. | Credit for sick leave for certain self-employed individuals. Credit for family leave for certain self-employed individuals. Provide for infection control support to skilled nursing facilities through contracts with quality improvement organizations. Funding for strike teams for resident and employee safety in skilled nursing facilities. | 75, 86, 158 124 |
| Prevent states from blocking broadband networks; increase federal support for municipal broadband; increase public investment in rural, urban, and Tribal broadband infrastructure; offer low-income Americans subsidies | Children and families can fully participate in school, work, and life from their homes. | Broadband is included in investment in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds | 223 |
There are some things in the ACT that weren’t in the Platform. These included funding for some of the following:
Sec. 2021. National Endowment for the Arts.
Sec. 2022. National Endowment for the Humanities. Sec. 2023. Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Sec. 6002. Funding for pollution and disparate impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic. Sec. 6003. United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sec. 7601. Support for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Sec. 9301. Additional funding for aging and disability services programs.
Sec. 9671. Repeal of election to allocate interest, etc. on worldwide basis.
Sec. 9672. Tax treatment of targeted EIDL advances.
Sec. 9673. Tax treatment of restaurant revitalization grants.
Sec. 9674. Modification of exceptions for reporting of third party network transactions.
Sec. 9675. Modification of treatment of student loan forgiveness.
Sec. 9671. Repeal of election to allocate interest, etc. on worldwide basis.
Sec. 9672. Tax treatment of targeted EIDL advances.
Sec. 9673. Tax treatment of restaurant revitalization grants.
Sec. 9674. Modification of exceptions for reporting of third party network transactions.
Sec. 9675. Modification of treatment of student loan forgiveness.
Several sections devoted to Foreign Affairs (Title X)
A subsection on Pension protection including:
Sec. 9701. Temporary delay of designation of multiemployer plans as in endan- gered, critical, or critical and declining status.
Sec. 9702. Temporary extension of the funding improvement and rehabilitation pe- riods for multiemployer pension plans in critical and endangered status for 2020 or 2021.
Sec. 9703. Adjustments to funding standard account rules.
Sec. 9704. Special financial assistance program for financially troubled multi-employer plans.
Sec. 9705. Extended amortization for single employer plans.
Sec. 9706. Extension of pension funding stabilization percentages for single employer plans.
Sec. 9707. Modification of special rules for minimum funding standards for community newspaper plans.
Sec. 9708. Expansion of limitation on excessive employee remuneration.
Will it be infrastructure, jobs, or climate change that gets addressed next?
Seems there’s a lot of movement on all of these. I hope it’s infrastructure. Okay, I admit it, I really like listening to Pete Buttigieg and I’m guessing he’ll be a big part of the infrastructure plan.