Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund

Section 604 of the Social Security Act as added by section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Act”), Pub. L. No. 117-2 (Mar. 11, 2021) authorizes the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF), which provides $10 billion in total funding for the Secretary to make payments to States (defined to include the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico), U.S. Territories and freely associated states (United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau), and Tribal governments, to carry out critical capital projects directly enabling work, education, and health monitoring, including remote options, in response to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID–19). Under Section 604(b)(1)(A) of the Act, each of the 52 States (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) is entitled to a fixed amount of $100 million, totaling $5.2 billion. States are also entitled to a portion of the remaining $4.6 billion, to be allocated in accordance with the requirements set forth in section 604(b)(2)(A) of the Act. Section 604(b)(1)(B) of the Act directs the Secretary to pay a total of $100 million divided in equal shares among United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. Section 604(b)(1)(C) of the Act also instructs the Secretary to pay a total of $100 million divided in equal shares to Tribal governments and the State of Hawaii (in addition to the amount paid to the State of Hawaii as a State), of which (i) not less than $50,000 shall be paid to each Tribal government and (ii) not less than $50,000, and not more than $200,000, shall be paid to the State of Hawaii for the exclusive use of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Native Hawaiian Education Programs to assist Native Hawaiians.