Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) gained clarification from the U.S. Treasury that Coronavirus Recovery Funds may be used as grants for households, small businesses and nonprofits that saw inflated utility bills from the natural gas shortage as a result of February’s cold snap.
Moran questions Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in March regarding the flexible use of federal funds provided to state and local governments to address the stressful circumstances many Kansas residents had experienced during and after the extreme weather in February.
Senator Moran urged the Treasury to develop guidance permitting the most recent COVID-19 relief legislation to be used to alleviate some of the burden placed on Kansas households and businesses by the high-cost utility bills.
Of the U.S. Treasury’s clarification, Moran said, “I’m pleased that the U.S. Treasury has now provided increased flexibility to state and local governments regarding permissible use of federal relief funds…As Kansans continue to deal with the economic impacts of the pandemic, this decision will alleviate a lot of consternation for those states impacted by the February extreme weather that caused elevated natural gas prices.
