How President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda Provided for Michiganders This Week

From affordable housing initiatives to investment in schools, the Biden-Harris administration continues to build back better in Michigan with Gov. Whitmer

LANSING –– President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda continues to deliver for families and communities across Michigan — and after the President’s visit on Tuesday, Michiganders are seeing for themselves how Democrats’ American Rescue Plan (ARP) is investing billions of dollars into local economies in every corner of the state as Governor Gretchen Whitmer allocates funds to where we need it most. From Detroit to Traverse City, the ARP is supporting schools, community centers, and more. 

While Michigan Republicans attempt to block the progress being made by the Biden-Harris administration and work to prolong the pandemic, Democrats are continuing to fight for President Biden’s widely popular Build Back Better agenda that invests in families, small businesses, and infrastructure projects. A new poll released by Quinnipiac shows that a majority of people support President Biden’s entire agenda to build back better. 

Here’s what Michganders from across the state are reading about how President Biden’s agenda is delivering across the state: 

MLive: Mid-Michigan schools, libraries received nearly $4M from American Rescue Plan funds for digital upgrades

The district received $2,043,090, which is about $1.6 million more than any other mid-Michigan district that received funding. The money will be used by the district to help close the digital divide and increase broadband services for their students. 

“Reliable and affordable internet is essential for learning,” Kildee said. “I strongly encourage Michigan schools and libraries to take advantage of this program to provide our students with the tools they need to succeed in school and provide community members the internet access they need to be able to engage in our economy.”

Grand Rapids Business Journal: Whitmer’s plan for ARP funds targets affordable housing

Whitmer in late August proposed using Michigan’s $2.1 billion in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 to make critical, long-term investments in families, small businesses and communities, including an historic, approximately $550 million investment in affordable housing.

Now that the Michigan Legislature has approved and signed the governor’s executive budget for fiscal year 2022, it is turning its focus to considering her proposal for the ARP funding — a process that is expected to take several weeks.

Detroit Free Press: New home repair program aims to replace 1,000 roofs for low-income Detroiters

A new program aims to replace 1,000 roofs for low-income seniors and homeowners with disabilities in Detroit, city officials announced Thursday. 

Funded by $30 million in federal American Rescue Plan dollars, the program is the first initiative to arise out of more than $400 million in pandemic recovery dollars the city of Detroit received, and will triple how much the city currently spends on its existing home repair program.

The Detroit News: National Endowment for Humanities awards nearly $3M to Michigan cultural institutions

The grants are part of the NEH’s $87.8 million in American Rescue Plan funding. Grants were awarded to nearly 300 cultural and educational institutions across the country to help them recover from the pandemic’s economic impact; retain and rehire workers; and reopen facilities and restart programming.

In Michigan, grants went to cultural institutions such as the Detroit Institute of Arts and Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, along with some colleges.

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