President Joe Biden declared cities and towns across the country are embarking on a “great comeback story,” fueled, in part, by his American Rescue Plan as he addressed thousands of local leaders at the 100th Anniversary of the National League of Cities in Washington on Monday.
“When I came into office, the pandemic was raging, our economy was reeling, communities everywhere faced devastating budget cuts,” Biden told 2,800 local officials in town for the organization’s 2024 Congressional City Conference. “We turned things around.”
The president used the speech to mark the three-year anniversary of the sweeping $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, signed about one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. He made the case that the $350 billion the bill sent to state and local government and tribal communities spurred local recovery.
“Instead of just helping a few big cities, we provided $350 billion to state and local governments for you to decide how it would be spent,” Biden said. “Money went directly to every single town in America so you could decide how best to spend it without having to go through the state house or governor.”
“That trust has been well-placed, because you’ve done a hell of a job,” Biden declared.
An analysis from the Treasury Department released on Monday found in the three years since the bill’s passage, local communities have budgeted the funds for thousands of specific projects, including: 6,300 relating to public health, 3,000 on housing needs, 1,500 relating to small business assistance and 1,300 on infrastructure projects such as broadband, water and sewer improvements.
“You used those funds to vaccinate your communities, to keep essential services going, put cops on the beat, put teachers in the classroom,” Biden said. “You kept small businesses on their feet and families in their homes.”
The bill also designated funds for schools, grants for businesses and money to expand COVID testing and vaccination efforts.
Biden went on to highlight his new goal – mentioned in his State of the Union address last week – to provide a tax credit of about $400 a month for first-time homebuyers. He also mentioned his budget proposal unveiled on Monday includes a plan for more affordable housing.
“I know the cost of housing is critical of families nationwide. Inflation keeps coming down, mortgage rates are going to continue to come down as well,” he said. “But I'm not waiting.”
The president also touted what he considers the American Rescue Plan’s role in tackling violent crime nationwide through the $15 billion it provided local communities for public safety.
“You, all of you, have done a tremendous job in your communities putting those resources to work, using federal money to hire more officers for effective accountable community policing, expanding Violence Intervention programs to help prevent crime,” Biden told local leaders. “Folks, we don't always hear about it, but today's violent crime rates are down nationwide.”
Last month, Biden hosted local law enforcement officials and public safety leaders for a roundtable at the White House in which he highlighted a drop in murder rates in some major cities. In a fact sheet, the White House noted homicides are expected to be down 12% in 2023 from the year prior.
A report from the Council on Criminal Justice found data from 32 cities that provided statistics showed a 10% drop in homicides in 2023 compared to 2022. Other violent crimes, the study found, such as aggravated assaults and gun assaults, also decreased in cities that reported data. Motor vehicle thefts, however, continued to rise in 2023 and reported statistics on property crime were mixed, the study found.
The FBI’s annual crime report released last year found violent crime in 2022 dropped, returning to about the same level as before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The president noted his work in expanded access to high speed internet, calling on Congress to authorize the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides subsidies of $30, and in some cases, up to $75, for internet and is set to lapse next month.
Biden also called on Congress to pass the bipartisan border policy bill that died swiftly after its unveiling amid GOP opposition – including from former President Donald Trump. The negotiations over the bill between a bipartisan group of senators and the White House were initially set in motion because Republicans insisted Biden’s request for foreign aid had to be tied to changes at the border.