Report shows Missouri has spent $342.8 million of $1.7 billion received under American Rescue Plan

(From State Auditor Nicole Galloway)

Through October, the state of Missouri has spent $342.8 million of the $1.7 billion received under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act for COVID-19 recovery efforts, reports released today by State Auditor Nicole Galloway show. 

The reports track spending of ARP funds, which Missouri began receiving in May 2021, and are in addition to monthly reports on CARES Act funding the state is receiving.

The reports for September and October on ARP spending are part of Auditor Galloway's ongoing review to help ensure accountability for the billions of federal dollars coming into Missouri for COVID-19 response and recovery. Since June 2020, the State Auditor's Office has released monthly reports on the $5 billion Missouri has received to date through the CARES Act and other federal programs for COVID-19 response efforts.

The ARP Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in March 2021. The funding received by or made available to Missouri state government agencies help pay for the state's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. ARP funding includes state and local recovery aid, funding for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, and funding for various other assistance and benefit programs.

Additionally, the ARP Act makes available a two-year 5% increase in federal funding because Missouri implemented Medicaid expansion, and also provided temporary enhanced federal matching funds for other Medicaid programs administered by MO HealthNet. The state began processing application related to Medicaid expansion in October.

The state has disbursed approximately $220 million to local governments from the Coronavirus Local Government Fiscal Recovery Fund. $2.4 million has been received by the state so far under ARP to support COVID-19 screening and testing to maintain in-person learning in schools. Approximately $1.34 billion has been received for the Coronavirus State Government Fiscal Recovery Fund, but has not been appropriated by the legislature as of Oct. 31.

The ARP also makes available more than $2 billion for distribution to Missouri's K-12 and higher education institutions. While none of this funding has been accessed to date, it is available until September 30, 2023.

The complete Federal ARP Act Funding for COVID-19 Recovery report for September can be found here. The report for October can be found here.

The most recent of the CARES Act reports from Auditor Galloway are here and here.