New York Congressman Antonio Delgado is pushing bipartisan legislation that would directly assist local governments in their responses to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The local relief would complement aid to states that congressional representatives are also urging. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne spoke with Delgado about this bill and more.
State and local government aid from the second federal coronavirus relief package, known as the CARES Act, went to governments serving more than 500,000 people, leaving Delgado’s 19th District completely out of the funding.
Delgado has joined with fellow Democrats – Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as well as Republican New York Congressman Lee Zeldin, on the Direct Support for Communities Act. Its local relief fund would be split 50/50, half committed to cities, towns and villages, and half committed to counties.