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.
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.