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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Did the stimulus bill passed in March allow for increased police funding?

By Gus Fisher
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YES

The $1.9 trillion stimulus package enacted in March, 2021, provided $350 billion in new federal funding for state and local governments. Recently, amid signs of rising concern about crime and gun violence, the Biden administration has highlighted ways local governments can use the funds for policing and public safety.

The Treasury Department established spending rules for recipients of the funds—which includes all metropolitan cities—specifying that funds can be used for public safety and crime prevention to:

  • re-hire police to restore staffing to “pre-pandemic levels.”
  • in communities experiencing increasing violence, hire more law enforcement personnel “even above pre-pandemic levels.”

The funds can also be used for purposes including mental health services and housing assistance.

The legislation passed with no Republican support.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
White House Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris administration announces comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to gun crime and ensure public safety
US Treasury Coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds
National League of Cities US Treasury guidance on using coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds
BBC Biden backs funding more police to fight crime wave
Ballotpedia American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.