Montana fully authorized to use ARPA funds
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News from the office of Senator Tester
U.S. Senate — During a recent Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen confirmed to U.S. Senator Jon Tester that the state of Montana is authorized to use all currently received American Rescue Plan Act funding for critical projects like water and broadband investments. Tester also confirmed that Montana can start planning how to use the second round of ARPA funding without additional input from the Department of Treasury, debunking concerns from state officials.
Senator Tester was the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to vote for the ARPA.
“I’ve heard some concerns that in Montana, some of the funds that you’ve already gotten out from Treasury to the states specifically aren’t getting out for projects – and that proposes some problems, especially with winter coming up in Montana. And we might miss opportunities to make upgrades to broadband, or other critical investments,” said Tester. “I have heard some folks in Montana leadership, blaming this confusion on the Treasury Department, because the funding is coming in two tranches. That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Secretary Yellen, beyond the restrictions on uses of these funds provided by Congress and through Treasury’s guidance, is there anything that the Treasury department is doing which would prevent states like Montana from receiving the funds in two tranches, and using the funds that they have already received now?”
“Senator, there is no restriction that Montana faces in using the funds that have been allocated, or making plans to use the funds that will be made available in the second tranche,” responded Yellen. “That can be done now, there’s absolutely no need to wait.”
Tester continued: “Do they need your approval to start planning what they might use the rest of the funds for? And to clarify: state’s with split payments, do not need Treasury’s approval to start getting the funds that they already have out the door. That’s correct? Just to make it absolutely clear.”
“That’s correct, and they can plan how they intend to use the second tranche as well,” said Yellen. “They can begin doing that now.”
