Senate Relief Bill Update Cuts Local COVID-19 Relief, Phases Distribution

State and local governments were set to receive $350 billion under the House-passed American Rescue Plan, but the updated version of the pandemic relief bill moving through the Senate would reduce the funding for local governments by $10 billion to pay for increased broadband access and split that relief into two funding pots released a year apart. Despite these changes, counties support the Senate bill since it sends them aid directly instead of trickling it through states. Specifically, the Senate...