Blog, September 2021
Big Bucks, Vague Rules: States Fail to Disclose their CARES Act Spending
As part of the $2.2 trillion pandemic relief CARES Act enacted in spring 2020, states received $150 billion in general assistance via the Coronavirus Relief Fund. Within limits tied to the pandemic, the Relief Fund is meant to be flexible, and allowing states, U.S. territories, and tribal governments to direct money where it is most needed.
In exchange for the money – no state got less than $1.25 billion – governments are required to document how they are spending it. Unfortunately, the rules governing that disclosure are very vague, and many states are failing to disclose their uses.