Nation's Mayors Urge Congress to Send Emergency Fiscal Assistance Using CDBG Structure

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Apr 14, 2020, 13:25 ET

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) has sent a letter to the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate urging that the "Interim Supplemental" currently being negotiated provide $53.55 billion in emergency fiscal assistance through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) structure for America's cities.

Right now, cities are on the front lines of fighting this pandemic. Mayors are simultaneously facing decisions that include laying off employees, cutting budgets, and reducing or eliminating critically needed services while having to take actions to protect public health.

The letter reads in part:

"We strongly support the proposal being offered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer that would provide $53.55 billion in emergency fiscal assistance to be sent to local governments based on the CDBG structure. The CDBG structure has existed since 1974, it works, and we need to get these flexible funds to our cities now. We also greatly appreciate that this proposal would clarify that fiscal assistance provided to local governments through this bill, as well as funding provided through "The CARES Act", would be available to be used for lost revenues."

The full text of the letter can be found here.

About the United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors