Article

Methodology: Recovery Beyond the Beltway

Companion to the interactive map, "Recovery Beyond the Beltway."

This methodology is the companion to the interactive map series "Recovery Beyond the Beltway."

The allocations below are for the programs and tax cuts in the House and Senate versions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that are greater than $1 billion and have funding formulas available. These calculations are based on the best data available and there are likely to be some errors at the margin.

Programs covered in the House plan

$6.2 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program. The funding formula is set out here. Average heating degree days and cooling degree days were used for Alaska, Hawaii, and District of Columbia as amounts were not available. Sources: U.S. Dept of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Energy Information Administration.

$3.4 billion for the State Energy Program. The funding formula is set out here and includes some funding to the territories. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Energy Information Administration.

$30 billion for Highway Infrastructure Investment. $29.2 billion will be distributed to states. We assumed that allocations would be in line with Fiscal Year 2009 SAFETEA-LU Highway Authorizations.

$7.5 billion for Transit Capital. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$2 billion for Fixed Guideway Modernization. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$6 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Fund. We assumed that allocations would be in line with FY2007 Final Title VI Allotments including some funding for the territories.

$2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. We assumed that allocations would be in line with Tentative Distribution of Fund Appropriations for FY2008 including some funding for the territories.

$13 billion for Title I Grants. The ESEA Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies funding formula is set out here.

$13 billion for IDEA, Part B State Grants. The Special Education Grants to States funding formula is set out here.

$14 billion for K-12 Repair and Modernization. The ESEA Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies funding formula is set out here.

$6 billion for Higher Education Repair and Modernization. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$1 billion for Education Technology. The School Improvements Grants funding formula is set out here.

$2 billion for Child Care Development Block Grant. Source: Center for Law and Social Policy.

$2.1 billion for Head Start. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$15.6 billion for Pell Grants. The Federal Pell Grants funding formula is set out here.

$1.5 billion for Pell Grants (mandatory). The Federal Pell Grants funding formula is set out here.

$3.2 billion for Workforce Investment Act Employment Services. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$27 billion for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Extensions. We are grateful to the National Employment Law Project for their help with these calculations.

$8.8 billion for Unemployment Insurance Increased Benefits. We used the CBO assumption that less than $9 billion would be spent including some for the territories. We used NELP data to estimate how this would be split among states.

$7 billion for the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act. Source: Center for American Progress Action Fund, Half in Ten, and National Employment Law Project.

$4.19 billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. We assumed that the allocations would be in line with current state and local NSP allocations including some funding for the territories.

$1.5 billion for the HOME Program. The same funding formula is used as in FY2008 including some funding for the territories.

$4 billion for Public Housing Capital Funds. We assumed that allocations would be in line with FY2008 grants including some funding for the territories.

$1.5 billion for Emergency Shelter Grants. The same funding formula will be used as in FY2008 including some funding for the territories.

$1 billion for the Community Development Block Grant. The same funding formula is used as in FY2008 including some funding for the territories.

$20 billion for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

$1 billion for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance. We are grateful to the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association for their help with these calculations.

$1 billion for Child Support Enforcement. The allocated funds total more than $1 billion as some states will not get the full allocation over time. Source: Center for Law and Social Policy.

$1 billion for Community Services Block Grant. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$79 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. $62.7 billion will be distributed through the states using the funding formula set out in the 2008 Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Source: U.S. Census Bureau

$87 billion for Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentages. This will be distributed through the funding formula set out in Title V – Medicaid Provisions. We made the following assumptions: (1) unemployment in December 2008 will be distributed by state on the same basis as it was November 2008; (2) the maximum unemployment adjustment will be reached for all states for several quarters; and (3) the higher FMAP of FY2008 and FY2009 will be the same in FY2010 and FY2011. A small proportion of the funds (less than 2 percent) were allocated on a pro rata basis as the formula allocation was unclear. Sources: Congressional Budget Office, Statehealthfacts.org, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

$3 billion for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants. We assumed that allocations would be in line with the 2008 JAG Allocation including some funding for the territories.

$145 billion for Make Work Pay. We are grateful to Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for their help with these calculations.

$4.6 billion for Earned Income Tax Credit Increase. We are grateful to Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for their help with these calculations.

$18.3 billion for the Child Tax Credit. We are grateful to Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for their help with these calculations.

Programs covered in the Senate plan

$16 billion for School Modernization. The ESEA Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies funding formula is set out by the Department of Education.

$3.5 billion for Higher Education Repair and Modernization. Proportions were taken from the House Appropriations Committee.

$2.3 billion for the HOME Investments Partnership Program. The same funding formula is used as in FY 2008, including some funding for the territories.

$27 billion for Highway Infrastructure Investment. $26.5 billion will be distributed to states. We assumed that allocations would be in line with fiscal year 2009 SAFETEA-LU Highway Authorizations.

$8.4 billion for Mass Transit. Proportions were taken from the House Appropriations Committee.

$5 billion for Public Housing Capital Funds. $3 billion will be allocated by formula. We assumed that allocations would be in line with FY 2008 grants, including some funding for the territories.

$2.3 billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. We assumed that the allocations would be in line with current state and local NSP allocations, including some funding for the territories.

$1.5 billion for the Homeless Prevention Fund. The same funding formula will be used as in FY2008, including some funding for the territories.

$4 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Fund. We assumed that allocations would be in line with FY 2007 Final Title VI Allotments, including some funding for the territories.

$2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. We assumed that allocations would be in line with Tentative Distribution of Fund Appropriations for FY 2008, including some funding for the territories.

$79 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. $64 billion will be distributed through the states through the existing funding formula set out in the 2008 Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

$13 billion for Title I Grants. The ESEA Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies funding formula is set out by the Department of Education.

$13 billion for IDEA, Part B State Grants. The Special Education Grants to States funding formula is set out by the Department of Education.

$13.9 billion for Pell Grants. The federal Pell Grants funding formula is set out by the Department of Education.

$3.2 billion for Workforce Investment Act Employment Services. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$2.9 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program. The funding formula is set out by the Department of Energy. Average heating degree days and cooling degree days were used for Alaska, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia as amounts were not available. Sources: U.S. Dept of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Energy Information Administration.

$0.5 billion for the State Energy Program. The funding formula is set out by the Department of Energy and includes some funding to the territories. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Energy Information Administration.

$16.5 billion for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

$2 billion for Child Care Development Block Grant. Source: Center for Law and Social Policy.

$2.1 billion for Head Start. Source: Appropriations Committee.

$0.2 billion for Community Services Block Grant. Proportions were taken from the House Appropriations Committee.

$1.5 billion for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants. We assumed that allocations would be in line with the 2008 JAG Allocation, including some funding for the territories.

$142.2 billion for Make Work Pay. We are grateful to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for their help with these calculations.

$17 billion for Seniors, Disabled Veterans, and SSI. We used the funding formula set out by the Senate Finance Committee. Sources: U.S. Social Security Administration, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

$4.7 billion for Earned Income Tax Credit Increase. We are grateful to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for their help with these calculations.

$10.5 billion for the Child Tax Credit. We are grateful to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for their help with these calculations.

$4.9 billion for Financial Assistance for National Recovery Zones. We used the funding formula set out in the Senate bill. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

$87 billion for Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentages. We used our House plan calculations as a baseline and allocated 80 percent of the funds on an across-the-board basis and 20 percent based on unemployment figures as set out by the Senate Finance Committee. Sources: Congressional Budget Office, Statehealthfacts.org, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

$2.6 billion for Unemployment Compensation Modernization. The National Employment Law Project estimates that this will actually cost $7 billion. Source: Center for American Progress Action Fund, Half in Ten, and National Employment Law Project.

$1.1 billion for Temporary Assistance for States with Advances. We are grateful to the National Employment Law Project for their help with these calculations.

$27 billion for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Extensions. We are grateful to the National Employment Law Project for their help with these calculations.

$9.3 billion for Unemployment Insurance Increased Benefits. We used NELP data to estimate how this would be split among states including some for the territories.

$1.2 billion for Child Support Enforcement. The allocated funds total to more than $1 billion as some states will not get the full allocation over time. Source: Center for Law and Social Policy.

$69.8 billion for the Alternative Minimum Tax. We are grateful to Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for their help with these calculations.

This methodology is the companion to the interactive map series “Recovery Beyond the Beltway.”

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