Skip Navigation
File a Consumer Complaint
Report a Robocall/Text
  • Robocall Hotline:(844)-8-NO-ROBO
  • All Other Complaints:(877)-5-NO-SCAM
  • Outside NC:919-716-6000
  • En Español:919-716-0058

Attorney General Josh Stein Urges Congress to Extend CARES Act Funding

For Immediate Release:
Monday, November 30, 2020

Contact:
Laura Brewer (919) 716-6484

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today urged Congress to extend Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economy (CARES) Act funding until the end of 2021. Currently, CARES Act funds cannot be used to pay for pandemic-related expenses that are incurred past December 30, 2020.

“While we have promising vaccines and treatments in the pipeline, the end of 2020 will not mark the end of the pandemic,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “State and local governments will need these federal funds in the new year to continue helping North Carolinians and communities manage the health and economic hardships of this pandemic. I urge Congress to allow the state to continue spending CARES Act funds into 2021 to help North Carolina recover.”

In anticipation of unprecedented costs and economic disruption stemming from the pandemic, Congress passed the CARES Act in March. The move provided more than $2 trillion in economic stimulus to state and local governments to combat the impacts of the pandemic. However, the money was restricted to use for expenses incurred between March 1 and December 30, 2020. As the pandemic continues to set record infections, states and local communities will continue to incur COVID-related expenses next year.

Attorney General Stein and a bipartisan coalition of 48 other attorneys general are calling on Congress to pass any of the several measures pending in both the House and the Senate to give states and local communities additional time to utilize COVID-19 relief resources. By extending the deadline, communities nationwide will be able to be more strategic with the use of CARES Act funds.

Attorney General Stein is joined in sending this letter by the Attorneys General of Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

A copy of the letter is available here.

More on Attorney General Stein’s work to protect North Carolinians during the COVID-19 pandemic:

###