334 NEW CASES TODAY.. AND 6 ADDITIONAL DEATHS. TODAY, THE SENATE PASSED A BILL… THAT WILL PROVIDE OVER 100-MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO help VERMONTERS… AND HELP THE STATE… BUILD BACK FROM THE LOSSES…. SUFFERED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE BILL WILL ALLOCATE FUNDING…. TO COVER A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES… INCLUDING 5- MILLION DOLLARS IN MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE… 5 POINT 5-MILLION IN SUMMER MEALS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. 1 POINT 8 MILLION TO EXPAND BROADBAND ACCESS… AND 3 MILLION…. WILL BE SPENT ON A LITERACY INITIATIVE… SINCE THE STATE… HAS FOUND…. ONLY 50 PERCENT OF 3RD GRADERS READ AT GRADE LEVEL. <SENATOR JANE KITCHEL/ (D) DANVILLE: “I THINK WE WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY TO USE THIS FEDERAL MONEY IN A WAY THAT WILL BE STRATEGIC, WILL PROVIDE SOME LONG TERM BENEFIT, WILL ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS BUT ALSO MOVE US OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC IN A BETTER PLACE WHERE THESE INVESTMENTS WILL HAVE LONG TERM BENEFITS.”> THE BILL IS NOW HEADING BACK… TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WE HAVE A COMPLETE
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Senate passes bill that aims to fund pandemic relief
H.315 would bring millions of dollars in funding to Vermonters and address problems brought on by the pandemic.
Updated: 10:18 PM EDT Mar 19, 2021
On Friday, the Senate passed H.315.The bill that will provide over $100 million dollars in funding to assist Vermonters and help the state build back from the losses suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic.The bill will allocate funding to cover a wide range of issues.”I think we worked very hard to try to use this federal money in a way that will be strategic, will provide some long term benefit, will address immediate needs but also move us out of this pandemic in a better place where these investments will have long term benefits,” Senator Jane Kitchel, (D) Danville, said. Economic Development and Security $5 million in mortgage assistance to Vermont homeowners to prevent foreclosure $5.5 million for summer meals for school children $0.5 million for continued microbusiness grants through local community action agencies Workforce Development $1.4 million to address an acute nursing shortage by supporting an LPN partnership program between VTC and Vermont nursing homes $3 million to the Vermont State Colleges and $1 million UVM to provide courses or certification programs to help over 2000 Vermonters improve workforce skills Broadband $1.8 million to assist the newly created Communication Union Districts (CUDs) with technical support, preconstruction and engineering costs in order to expand broadband access $5 million for broadband and connectivity programs including extension of the broadband subsidy program Education $2.8 million to continue and expand the McClure Foundation’s initiative to provide college courses to one thousand 2020 and 2021 high school graduates $3 million to fund a literacy initiative to improve the reading proficiency of Vermont students, recognizing that only 50% of third graders read at grade level $4 million to fund summer and afterschool programs It will also allocate $3.75 million to assist town and schools with administering over $500 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds.The bill is now heading back to the House of Representatives.
On Friday, the Senate passed H.315.
The bill that will provide over $100 million dollars in funding to assist Vermonters and help the state build back from the losses suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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The bill will allocate funding to cover a wide range of issues.
“I think we worked very hard to try to use this federal money in a way that will be strategic, will provide some long term benefit, will address immediate needs but also move us out of this pandemic in a better place where these investments will have long term benefits,” Senator Jane Kitchel, (D) Danville, said.
Economic Development and Security
- $5 million in mortgage assistance to Vermont homeowners to prevent foreclosure
- $5.5 million for summer meals for school children
- $0.5 million for continued microbusiness grants through local community action agencies
Workforce Development
- $1.4 million to address an acute nursing shortage by supporting an LPN partnership program between VTC and Vermont nursing homes
- $3 million to the Vermont State Colleges and $1 million UVM to provide courses or certification programs to help over 2000 Vermonters improve workforce skills
Broadband
- $1.8 million to assist the newly created Communication Union Districts (CUDs) with technical support, preconstruction and engineering costs in order to expand broadband access
- $5 million for broadband and connectivity programs including extension of the broadband subsidy program
Education
- $2.8 million to continue and expand the McClure Foundation’s initiative to provide college courses to one thousand 2020 and 2021 high school graduates
- $3 million to fund a literacy initiative to improve the reading proficiency of Vermont students, recognizing that only 50% of third graders read at grade level
- $4 million to fund summer and afterschool programs
It will also allocate $3.75 million to assist town and schools with administering over $500 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds.
The bill is now heading back to the House of Representatives.
