“The Democrats’ inflation is functioning like an ultra-punitive tax on the American families who can least afford it,' Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Wednesday.īut in this instance, the spending from the aid package is already helping to insulate millions of households from higher utility bills and reducing strains on household budgets. The GOP argument is that the Biden relief package sent too much money into the economy, sending prices up and hurting middle-class and lower-income families. Republican lawmakers have said the relief package, which became law in March, caused higher levels of inflation, with prices in October 6.2% higher than a year ago. The aid helps to create a cushion that limits the shock of higher energy costs ahead of winter. Speakers on the call will include Sperling, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and the governors of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan and Minnesota. The White House sent out invitations for a call Thursday afternoon with representatives from governors' offices to discuss ways to distribute the funds and coordinate across programs. “These new programs and funding were designed to ensure that if the weather was colder or the prices were higher, we would have the highest resources ever to help as many hard-pressed families as possible.” “It’s another example of where the American Rescue Plan included extra precautions to ensure we would be prepared,” said Gene Sperling, who is overseeing coronavirus relief for the White House. Aid for renters can also cover utility costs, while the money provided to state, local and tribal governments can help families that face high heating bills and are ineligible for other programs. The package provided an additional $4.5 billion for the government's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which typically has funding of $3 billion to $4 billion annually.

The Biden administration is taking steps to help distribute several billion dollars in aid for winter heating and utility bills, an unprecedented sum that comes largely from its $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

Zero limits fort wayne