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☆ Here’s how much each state will get in the $42.5 billion broadband infrastructure plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

And it reflects months of work by the US government to design new and updated broadband maps showing which areas of the country remain unserved or under-served. The updated maps allowed the US government to calculate which states had the greatest need for broadband funding and to distribute the infrastructure law’s resources accordingly. States and territories may begin applying for the funds as soon as July 1, the White House said. And it complements another $23 billion across five separate broadband access programs included in the legislation, such as a program specifically aimed at Tribal connectivity and another for low-income households. Monday’s announcement marked the launch of a three-week nationwide tour by President Joe Biden and other White House officials to tout the administration’s economic plan.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden Organizations: Washington CNN, US, US Virgin Islands, Broadband Equity, Federal Communications Commission, Commerce Department, American, White Locations: Texas, California, US Virgin, States, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana , Michigan , Missouri, North Carolina , Texas, Virginia, Washington

But even with her salary and subsidies, Smith couldn't afford childcare. Vermont offers higher income eligibility and larger amounts for childcare subsidies than New Hampshire. During the pandemic, the Biden administration offered childcare assistance for both parents and childcare providers, but this money is set to run out in September. "My motherhood is deeply woven into how I think and how I work because it's all care work. She wants parents to feel comfortable openly saying that they're overwhelmed and can't afford childcare.

Persons: —, Smith, Smith isn't, It's, Michelle McCready, Jess Carson, Carson, McCready, Biden, James Heckman, they're Organizations: American, Service, Craigslist, US Census Bureau, America, Center for Social, University of New, Carsey, of Public Policy, New Hampshire ., US Locations: Grant's, Hampshire, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Hampshire . Vermont

☆ Childcare is about to get even more expensive at the end of September unless Congress acts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Federal funding helped keep more than 200,000 childcare providers afloat in recent years. Unless Congress acts, many parents could face even higher childcare costs. During the pandemic, Congress provided over $52 billion to states to support the childcare system, which helped 220,000 childcare providers stay afloat, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. "The American Rescue Plan provided critical funding that made child care available to millions of children and allowed child care programs throughout our country to stay open. Providing states additional childcare funding could be an uphill battle.

Persons: —, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Cindy Lehnhoff, Sanders, they've, Louisiana Sen, Bill Cassidy Organizations: Service, Department of Health, Human Services, Department, Labor, National Association for, Education of Young, National, Association, Office Locations: America, Louisiana

Jason Connolly/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoApril 25 (Reuters) - Colorado's governor signed the nation's first right to repair legislation into law on Tuesday, giving the state's farmers and ranchers the autonomy to fix their own equipment. With a Case IH red tractor displayed outside the state Capitol in Denver, Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, signed The Consumer Right to Repair Agriculture Equipment Act. "This is a common-sense bipartisan bill to help people avoid unnecessary delays from equipment repairs." Right to repair legislation is gaining momentum across the country as lawmakers in 16 states have introduced bills, according to a report by the Public Interest Research Group, an advocacy organization. "Creating more fair market access through right to repair is one of the items that we hope will be included," he said.

☆ Why America's childcare system is crumbling and its workers are begging for help
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Childcare workers earn less than half what the average US worker earns — and many are quitting. One Montessori school has seen people quit and had to raise tuition in order to cover staff pay. Almost all of the childcare workers in this story asked to be referred to by first name only, out of fear of professional repercussions. And childcare workers specifically in child daycare services make an average of $12.40 an hour. Sinead, a 24-year-old childcare worker in West Virginia, makes even less than the national average for childcare workers, with pay of $9.50 an hour.

☆ Your town might be sitting on pandemic cash it could use to build a grocery store or launch a guaranteed-basic-income pilot
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They told him they were walking from their homes to Kroger, the nearest grocery store — which was at least a 25- to 30-minute walk. That got Miller thinking about building a grocery store, or even just a shed to sell fresh food from at a lower cost. He learned the city land committee had taken over the abandoned structure and that, way back when, it had been a grocery store called Abraham Grocery. Courtesy of Dural MillerNow, starting in November, it'll be a new grocery store, Miss Ruby's Corner Market, to serve the community. Baltimore, for instance, has used American Rescue Plan funds to give out guaranteed income to young parents for two years.

☆ Democrats choose Chicago, a target of years of GOP attacks about crime, for 2024 convention
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

With Chicago, Democrats chose a 2024 convention site that signals the significance of the Midwest. But the city has also been at the center of Democrats' weakest spot with voters: crime. Crime was a defining issue of the city's latest mayoral election that upended the city's Democratic leadership. And Republicans have long hammered the city's crime rates to put Democrats on the defensive. "Chicago is a vibrant, metropolitan city with neighborhoods that reflect the diversity of America," said Natalie Edelstein, a spokesperson for the city's convention bid.

☆ AOC says 'a lot' of House Dems would cast 'disingenuous' yes votes for Medicare for All if it came to floor because they 'know that it's going to a graveyard' in the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued some Democrats don't sincerely support Medicare for All. She said the Senate's 60-vote filibuster lets them to rhetorically support it but not fight for it. She argued dismantling the filibuster is the "precursor" to passing progressive priorities. The most recent House version of the bill, introduced in 2021, garnered 123 co-sponsorships — more than half of the House Democratic Caucus at the time. Filibuster frustrationsThe filibuster stymied Democrats during the first two years of the Biden administration when they held slim majorities in both the House and Senate.

☆ Tax refunds are lower this year, but these stocks could be winners as a result, Stephens found
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tax refunds are smaller this year, which is bad news for consumers – but positive news for some lenders, according to Stephens. Tax Day looms, with federal income tax returns due on April 18. Smaller tax refunds – and reduced consumer bank balances – could bode well for a handful of unsecured lenders. "If we were to pick one, lower tax refunds are more positive for FirstCash," he said. OneMain Financial is another stock that Caintic highlighted as a potential beneficiary of lower tax refunds.

Although insulin list prices are high in the U.S., drugmakers typically pay substantial rebates to private insurers and government programs, resulting in lower prices for most Americans with insurance. U.S.-listed Novo Nordisk shares rose as much as 1.7% to $142.95, while Denmark-listed shares closed marginally higher on Tuesday. Eli Lilly shares were down slightly. "I think it is a relatively natural consequence of what we have seen their competitor Eli Lilly do. Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk make up 90% of the U.S. market for insulin.

☆ Lion's share of Biden's COVID relief funds delivered to states, local governments
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - Two years after enactment of U.S. President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP), the program has delivered over 10.3 million payments to renters in need and aided more than 30,000 state and local governments, data showed on Monday. Treasury said 99% of the $350 billion of ARP money set aside for state and local authorities and Tribal governments has been delivered, and states have already budgeted for 90% of those funds, although funds may flow out over time. Additional budget plans by states and local governments include $12 billion for 5,300 public health projects and $11 billion more for 3,500 workforce development projects training workers for new, higher-paying jobs, Treasury said. Biden's COVID relief package passed without any Republican votes, raising the prospect that Republican-controlled states and local governments could refuse to participate, as they did with Medicaid funds under former President Barack Obama. But Treasury data show both Democratic- and Republican-controlled states and local governments have tapped ARP funds to provide pandemic relief and invest in projects with long-term impact, such as boosting access to high-speed Internet.

☆ On the Covid-19 Lockdown’s Third Anniversary, Biden Has Moved On
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Stephanie Armour | Sabrina Siddiqui | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—President Biden marked the first anniversary of the Covid-19 lockdowns two years ago with a high-profile speech, and his administration gave frequent briefings on the topic. Last year, he gave an address on the American Rescue Plan and the country’s economic recovery from the pandemic. On Saturday, the third anniversary of the shutdowns that were triggered by the pandemic, Mr. Biden has no public events planned and his White House has largely shifted focus away from a virus that continues to kill about 2,000 people a week but ranks low among priorities for the American public.

☆ Op-ed: Biden's American Rescue Plan props up underserved communities with jobs, education
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

This started with policies like the Advance Child Tax Credit, which under the Rescue Plan offered monthly payments to families and helped lift 3.5 million children out of poverty. Expanding our labor force is another area where efforts to support communities of color and other underserved communities is helping to unleash economic gains for all Americans. Last year, I visited Orlando, Florida, where the mayor took me on a tour of a workforce training center funded by the President's American Rescue Plan. The benefits of this effort will be particularly powerful in underserved communities. For too long, racism and discrimination have limited the ability of underserved communities to fully contribute to our civic and economic advancement.

☆ Biden's budget pushes to renew bigger child tax credit payments for families
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President Joe Biden's proposed budget for fiscal 2024 includes a host of proposals aimed at helping families. That includes one key proposal — the reinstatement of the enhanced child tax credit that temporarily gave qualifying parents up to $3,600 per child for 2021 through the American Rescue Plan. Biden's plan calls for raising the current maximum child credit from $2,000 per child to $3,600 per child under age 6 or to $3,000 per child ages 6 and up. The budget also calls for permanently making the child tax credit fully refundable, which means people would still be eligible even if their tax liability was less than the credit amount. The earned income tax credit would be permanently expanded for childless workers, with the goal of keeping low-paid workers out of poverty.

☆ Biden wants to bring back sending monthly checks to parents and make the program permanent
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The first iteration of expanded child tax credit checks lifted millions of kids out of poverty. The ARP also paid out the tax credit in monthly checks, rather than as part of an annual tax refund. According to the US Census Bureau, child poverty fell to a record low of 5.2% in 2021, declining from 2020's 9.7% rate because of those monthly checks sent out to parents. However, after efforts to expand or prolong the credit fell short, child poverty skyrocketed in 2022. Several Democratic lawmakers have also pushed for the expanded Child Tax Credit to be renewed.

☆ Former GOP Senator James Inhofe retired because of long COVID symptoms. Other colleagues have it but keep it secret, he said.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former Republican Senator James Inhofe said he retired due to long COVID symptoms. During his time in office, the Oklahoma senator repeatedly voted against COVID protections. The CDC estimated that one in five American adults with the disease suffers from long COVID symptoms. He said "five or six" other political colleagues have long COVID, "but I'm the only one who admits it." In March 2020, Inhofe voted against the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which broadly expanded benefits for those affected by the pandemic.

WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday credited Brian Deese, his outgoing top White House economic adviser, for helping achieve the administration's economic vision for the country. "Brian has ... helped steer my economic vision into reality, and managed the transition of our historic economic recovery to steady and stable growth," Biden said. Deese, who is expected to step down in mid-February, told MSNBC that Biden had not made any decision on his replacement. Other candidates for the NEC job include Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Reuters reported last week. Only the CEA job requires Senate confirmation.

☆ House Democrats just launched a 'Dads Caucus' to push for parental leave, the child tax credit, and universal childcare
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A group of House Democrats just established the "Dads Caucus" to push for reforms. They want to expand parental leave, the child tax credit, and childcare funding to help working families. Last Thursday, House Democrats launched the Congressional Dads Caucus, a group that says it will advocate for legislation that includes guaranteed paid parental leave, the expansion of the child tax credit, and universal childcare. The US is the only industrialized country that doesn't require employers to offer paid parental leave, and only 25% of workers have access to it, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The expanded child tax credit passed in the American Rescue Plan, which offered monthly payments to parents between March and December of 2021, helped reduce the child poverty rate to historic lows.

☆ Winter heating costs likely won't be as high as feared
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Heating your home this winter likely won’t burn quite as big a hole in your wallet as initially forecast. Still, costs are up across the board compared to last winter — nearly 26% and 14.5% for heating oil and natural gas, respectively, and 10.5% and nearly 9% for electricity and propane, respectively. “You’re still paying more, but not as much more,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. Applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program are projected to reach their highest level in more a decade, Wolfe said. To help its residents cope with the high heating costs, Maine started sending $450 energy relief payments on Monday.

☆ Sen. Rick Scott is running for re-election pushing his controversial 'Rescue' plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida is running for re-election, he said in an announcement first shared with NBC News. Scott also promised to push a controversial conservative plan that brought bipartisan condemnation last year. Scott, who denied he would raise taxes but then walked back that part of the plan anyway, told NBC News he’s not backing away from the American Rescue plan. “If you look at when I ran in 2010, there are 4.6 million Democrats [registered to vote] in the state and 4 million Republicans,” he said. “Now what’s happened is we have 4.9 million Democrats and 5.2 million Republicans.

☆ IRS warns tax refunds may be 'somewhat lower.' With high inflation, that's a 'double whammy' for families, says advisor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty ImagesIf you're banking on a tax refund, it may be "somewhat lower" than last year's payment, according to the IRS. Meanwhile, many Americans are still struggling financially, with nearly one-third relying on their tax refund to make ends meet, a recent Credit Karma survey found. Joe Buhrmann, a certified financial planner and senior financial planning consultant at eMoney Advisor, said smaller refunds and high inflation may be a "double whammy" for some families. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan of 2021, many families got a boost from the enhanced child tax credit, worth up to $3,600 per child, and child and dependent care tax credit of up to $4,000 per dependent. For 2022, the child tax credit dropped back to a maximum $2,000 per child, and the child and dependent care tax credit reverted to $1,050 per dependent.

☆ Schools Speed Up Covid-Aid Spending After a Slow Start
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Ben Chapman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Schools districts are spending the $122 billion in federal Covid-relief funds nearly twice as fast as they used to, and despite a slow start most are now on track to use the funds before they expire next year, according to the Education Department. Districts have spent about 27% of the education funding that was part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan disbursed in 2021, an increase from May when federal data showed 7% of the money was spent.

☆ Companies like Etsy, eBay, and PayPal are fighting a new tax law they fear could lead to an avalanche of 40 million new tax forms and mass confusion among their users
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A group of companies including Etsy, eBay and PayPal are lobbying against new tax rules. E-commerce companies including Etsy, eBay, and Poshmark are lobbying to stop a new tax rule that they say would confuse millions of their users. But at the lower threshold, an estimated 30 to 40 million businesses or individuals could receive a 1099-K for the first time in 2024. An eBay spokesperson said the lowered threshold is "concerning for many sellers on eBay who casually sell online to help meet important financial needs." Jeffrey Zubricki, head of Etsy Americas advocacy and public policy, was optimistic about efforts to raise the threshold from $600.

☆ Filing your 2022 taxes: Why your refund may be smaller
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Child tax credit: For tax year 2022, parents may claim a maximum child tax credit of $2,000 for each child through age 16 if your modified adjusted gross income is below $200,000 ($400,000 if filing jointly). This year, if you have one child or dependent, you can only get a maximum credit of $1,050 ($2,100 for two or more). So if it happened late in the year, that may bump your 2022 income into a higher bracket, much the way a big one-time bonus might. Ways to potentially increase your refund or reduce your 2022 tax billTax year 2022 is over, but there still may be a few things you can do now to increase the money the IRS sends you or reduces the amount you will owe. Make an IRA contribution: You still may make 2022 contributions to an IRA up until April 18, 2023.

☆ 12 million people got a refund from the IRS for a tax break on 2020 unemployment benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The IRS has issued tax refunds to 12 million people eligible for a tax break on unemployment benefits received in 2020, when the pandemic caused joblessness on a scale unseen since the Great Depression. However, President Joe Biden signed the law in March 2021, after many households had already filed their tax returns. The average tax refund associated with those corrections was $1,232. More from Personal Finance:Trump's tax returns show no Social Security benefit incomeWhy your investment ego may be costly2022 was the worst-ever year for U.S. bondsIn total, the agency corrected 14 million tax returns, the agency said. The IRS mailed letters informing these taxpayers of the corrections and advised keeping them with their tax records.

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