.............................................COVID-19 Economic Relief......................----..--03/13/21
Greetings!

COAL congratulates President Biden, Vice-President Harris, Senate Majority Leader Schumer and House Majority Leader Pelosi on the Covid-19 Economic Relief Bill, which represents major legislation that is targeted to assisting middle and low income families across this nation.

"This shifts the paradigm - this Bill puts working people in this nation first."
-President Biden

Please see the below articles which provide a good breakdown of the sections of assistance provided in the bill. Also see the articles on the support targeted for Black farmers; well needed and overdue assistance that is the first of it kind. And see the articles on lifting millions of children out of poverty - may this come to fruition.

We all can agree that it is one thing to pass a Bill, and another thing to implement it. Our collective challenge is to ensure that assistance gets to those targeted to receive it. - COAL
COAL calls upon community organizations and the offices of our elected officials to ensure that funds available to the Black community, individuals, families and businesses do indeed get to individuals, families and businesses, as expeditiously as possible. COAL is assessing ways to do its part towards facilitating relief getting to those in need.

And we would be remiss in not recognizing the monumental role Stacy Abrams and the State of Georgia played in making the passing of this Bill possible. Proof positive that Our votes do matter!

Respectfully,
COAL Board of Directors  

"The time to work seriously and collectively, to improve the state of our Community, is upon us..."
Let's Get to Work
THE BILL
for legislative geeks: The Complete 628-page BILL Here
for those that don't have the time or inclination: A 1-page Summary
for others, see below breakdowns of the Bill's areas of relief and support:
House passes $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, sends it to Biden to sign
PUBLISHED WED, MAR 10 2021 2:11 PM EST, UPDATED WED, MAR 10 20215:02 PM EST Jacob Pramuk

House Democrats passed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Wednesday, sending one of the biggest stimulus plans in U.S. history to President Joe Biden’s desk.
The president hopes to sign the bill Friday after Congress formally sends it to the White House, which can take days for large bills. Biden will check off his first major legislative item as the U.S. tries to ramp up Covid-19 vaccinations and jolt the economy.
Here are the proposal’s major pieces:
  • It extends a $300 per week jobless aid supplement and programs making millions more people eligible for unemployment insurance until Sept. 6. The plan also makes an individual’s first $10,200 in jobless benefits tax-free.
  • The bill sends $1,400 direct payments to most Americans and their dependents. The checks start to phase out at $75,000 in income for individuals and are capped at people who make $80,000. The thresholds for joint filers are double those limits. The government will base eligibility on Americans’ most recent filed tax return...
  • Bill Breakdown
Here's What's In The American Rescue Plan
Barbara Sprunt
The House gave final approval to the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Wednesday, passing it to President Biden's desk for his signature. The colossal package known as the American Rescue Plan allocates money for vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs such as an expanded child tax credit that would mean new monthly payments to many parents.

You may be thinking: Didn't the House already pass a relief package? Yes. But then the Senate had to make changes to the bill — some to satisfy Senate budget rules and others to gain the support of moderate Democrats. Once the Senate modifications were in place on Saturday, back to the House it went.
Kamala Harris holds virtual roundtable to discuss
American Rescue Plan
Support for Black Farmers
Black farmers to receive $5 billion in COVID relief bill: ‘400 years past due’
Exclusive: John Boyd, head of the National Farmer's Association, says billions are needed to revive the industry
April Ryan, March 9, 2021
President Biden’s allocation of $5 billion dollars in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) has Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina upset. Well, the more accurate term for his anger is that he is having a temper tantrum about the sum of money earmarked for Black Farmers to help them survive. Overall, $10.4 billion is earmarked for the nation’s farmers and half of that is going to Black farmers. See Article Here.
Covid-19 stimulus bill to provide $4 billion in debt relief for Black farmers, other farmers of color
by Jessica Fu 03.09.2021, 2:57pm

Quietly nestled in the latest Covid-19 relief package is a consequential provision that would cancel billions of dollars of debt held by farmers of color—a move that would provide long-sought relief to agricultural producers who have experienced discrimination, including at the hands of federal lenders.
The American Rescue Plan, which passed in the Senate on Saturday and awaits an imminent final vote in the House would earmark $4 billion in debt relief for “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers,” defined as “a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice.”
Covid Relief May Prove an E-I-E-I-O-ya for Black Farmers | Zerlina
BLACK FARMERS TO RECEIVE $5 BILLION CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL TO PAY OFF DEBT, ESTABLISH EQUITY COMMISSION
by Derek Major, March 10, 20216169

Inside President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill includes $5 billion in funds earmarked for Black farmers.

The American Rescue Plan allocated $10.4 billion for the nation’s farmers, who were struggling before the coronavirus pandemic due to Trump’s trade war. However, half of that will go specifically to Black farmers. John Boyd, head of the National Black Farmers Association told Yahoo News, Black farmers are literally on the brink of extinction. See Article Here.
Lifting Children Out of Poverty
With One Move, Congress Could Lift Millions Of Children Out Of Poverty
Cory Turner, Anya Kamenetz
February 26, 2021 5:00 AM ET

The COVID-19 relief bill working its way through Congress is full of big ideas to help people. But there's one idea that's so big, it was politically unthinkable not that long ago.
President Biden and Democratic lawmakers want to fight child poverty by giving U.S. families a few hundred dollars every month for every child in their household — no strings attached. A kind of child allowance.
If this proposal survives the wrangling in Congress and makes it to Biden's desk, experts say it could cut child poverty nearly in half. Read Full Article.
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COVID Relief Bill Could Cut US Poverty in Half, For Now
By Rob Garver
March 10, 2021 07:01 AM
The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill awaiting final passage in the House of Representatives would bring the United States in line with many other advanced democracies around the world by providing regular, unrestricted federal payments to families with children that would cut the rate of child poverty in half.

In all, 13.1 million children and adults would be lifted out of poverty, including 5.7 million under the age of 18, according to one analysis. It would be an historic byproduct of President Joe Biden's massive economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Democrats' pent-up demands for addressing income inequality in the U.S. through direct government action. Read Full Article.
The American Rescue Plan Act Greatly Expands Benefits through the Tax Code in 2021
Garrett Watson, Erica York
March 12, 2021
The United States has provided about $6 trillion in total economic relief to the American people during the coronavirus pandemic, including the $1.9 trillion that was approved when President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act into law on Thursday, amounting to about 27 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).  Much of the economic relief in the American Rescue Plan is administered through the tax code in the form of direct payments (stimulus checks) and expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) in 2021. The size and method of relief will revive debates over the proper role of spending in the tax code and whether the temporary benefits should become permanent after the economy has recovered. Read Full Article.
But still like air, you Rise....
What We Believe
The Coalition of African American Leaders believes that it is important to examine the critical issues confronting the African American community where injustice, inequality and the absence of access and opportunity continue to prevail, thereby negatively impacting us as a people. COAL is an assemblage that advocates and organizes for appropriate and responsible public policy change, system behavior change and equality of opportunity. We aim to achieve for all of our people the fullness of the life experience without any form of racism or exclusion as a deterrent. We believe we must prepare ourselves for the opportunity of this full participation, thereby achieving the necessary education and training to participate.