WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Madeline Dean, D-Pa., introduced the bipartisan Leveraging Options for Counties and Localities Act, or LOCAL Act.

The CARES Act appropriated $150 billion in coronavirus relief funds to states and localities. To date, many states still have a balance of unspent funds. The bill would extend the deadline for counties to spend those funds to Dec. 31, 2021.

“Counties and municipalities have been hard hit by COVID-19 and the federal government must be nimble and able to pivot to address these challenges,” said Thompson. “Through the LOCAL Act, we will provide flexibility on unanticipated costs associated with coronavirus, with no additional cost to the taxpayers.”

Dean agreed.

“Rebuilding the health, safety, and economy of our communities will take discipline, teamwork, and time,” she said. “This act gives our counties the time needed to use federal resources — I look forward to working with my colleagues and other leaders to ensure we have the tools to protect our constituents and recover from this pandemic.”