Thompson sponsors bipartisan bill to extend CARES Act funds deadline for counties

U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘GT' Thompson (R-PA) unveiled a bipartisan bill this week that would extend the period for local counties across America to spend pandemic emergency relief funds authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act appropriated $150 billion in COVID-19 relief funds to states and localities, but to date, many still have an unspent balance, according to the congressman's office.

Rep. Thompson's Leveraging Options for Counties and Localities (LOCAL) Act, H.R. 7854, which he introduced with cosponsor U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), would extend the deadline for counties to spend these funds to Dec. 31, 2021.

"Counties and municipalities have been hard hit by COVID-19 and the federal government must be nimble and able to pivot to address these challenges," Rep. Thompson said. "Through the LOCAL Act, we will provide flexibility on unanticipated costs associated with coronavirus, with no additional cost to the taxpayers."

Rep. Dean pointed out that H.R. 7854 would provide counties the time needed to use federal resources. "I look forward to working with my colleagues and other leaders to ensure we have the tools to protect our constituents and recover from this pandemic," she said.

H.R. 7854 has been referred to the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee for consideration.