ABC's Andy Field - May 10, 2021 - KRDO's Afternoon News
60 days after President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, into law, his administration is rolling out $350 billion in funding to state, local, and tribal governments. The president is expected to go into details this afternoon, touting the help it will provide to workers and the economy, and announcing recipients will have plenty of authority to determine how to use their funding. This funding was one of the major sticking points for Republicans on Capitol Hill, who argued that many states didn't face revenue losses as steep as once feared, and that the federal government shouldn't bail out state and local governments that are in debt from previous decisions. Biden is holding steady with approval of a majority of Americans, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The survey shows Biden is buoyed in particular by the public's broad backing for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden's overall approval rating sits at 63%. When it comes to the new Democratic president's handling of the pandemic, 71% of Americans approve, including 47% of Republicans.