Don’t let anyone tell you Democrats in Washington aren’t delivering on the promises they made in the 2020 and 2022 elections. In Brunswick County and throughout North Carolina and the U.S., the Biden Administration and his allies in Congress are delivering on their commitment to improve the lives of American families.
This past month alone, the Biden-Harris administration announced key actions to help blunt the impact of inflation on American households and give families more breathing room:
Lower health care and prescription drug costs: The Department of Health and Human Services released new data showing that more than 3.4 million seniors and people with disabilities are likely to save an average of $70 per year because of a new provision that went into effect in January. The provision allows Medicare beneficiaries to get recommended vaccines for free. This is in addition to insulin cost reductions by the three major pharmaceutical companies.
Lower-cost high-speed internet: The Federal Communication Commission released additional funds to support a program that is delivering affordable high-speed internet to more than 16 million households, saving American families over $500 million per month. The FCC released a tranche of $66 million, authorized by the Democrat-approved infrastructure law, to help more people have access to the program.
Lower home energy costs: President Biden’s administration has significantly increased funding for a program that gives Americans breathing room on their winter heating bills. Over the past year, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program has helped more than 5.3 million households pay for their heating and cooling bills and weatherization services.
But that’s not all. Here’s how the Biden Administration is helping North Carolina residents:
A strong economic recovery, with 353,000 new jobs. North Carolina unemployment is now at 3.8 percent, as compared to 5.6 percent when President Biden took office.
336,000 new small business applications in the state.
Direct pandemic relief to all 647 North Carolina towns, cities, and counties.
Vital education funding for more than 110 school districts in North Carolina to support academic post-pandemic recovery.
Help for 4,200 child care programs to keep their doors open for as many as 371,000 children.
Working family tax relief for 1.3 million North Carolina families and an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit for 601,000 workers in the state.
Affordable high-speed internet for 78,000 North Carolina homes and businesses.
Relief for 2,576 North Carolina restaurants through the American Rescue Plan’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Some of the assistance available under the new laws approved by Democrats in Congress and the White House has found its way to Brunswick County:
Brunswick County will receive $26,347,200 to improve water infrastructure. Included are funds for county projects plus separate funding for projects in Brunswick Town, Calabash, Southport and Bald Head Island.
More than $28 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was allocated to Brunswick County. Some ARPA funding was used to pay for expenses the county incurred during the pandemic, which freed up local funds for a series of expenditures, including a new emergency response vehicle, a rapid response armored vehicle for the Sheriff’s Department, and new communications gear for fire departments.
Construction projects already underway or partially funded could receive a boost from federal assistance, including bridge repairs near Bolivia, a new dam in Boiling Spring Lakes, improvements to Route 211, the Southport-Supply road, and amenities expansion in Sunset Beach.