Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Biden admin tells state to mask up kids or forfeit Covid relief

Biden admin tells state to mask up kids or forfeit Covid relief

Government tells Arizona to lift ban on masks in schools or lose billions in federal Covid aid
The US Treasury Department has told Arizona’s Republican governor to abolish two programs aimed at discouraging school mask mandates within 60 days, or give back over $1 billion in federal Covid-19 relief and forfeit the rest.

The Biden administration is taking issue with Arizona’s Education Plus-Up Grant Program, which offered $163 million in funding to schools in the state, but made districts that require masking ineligible.

Another initiative, dubbed the Educational Recovery Benefit Program, offers up to $7,000 in school vouchers to parents if their child’s school requires masks or quarantining after exposure to the virus. Federal guidance says masks must be worn at all times by schoolchildren, in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“By discouraging families and school districts from following this guidance, the conditions referenced above undermine efforts to stop the spread of [Covid]-19,” Treasury’s Deputy Chief Compliance Officer Kathleen Victorino said in a letter that was made public on Friday. “Accordingly, these school programs as currently structured are ineligible uses” of funds provided under the American Rescue Plan, President Joe Biden’s March 2021 relief bill.

Arizona has reportedly received about half of the $4.2 billion from the bill, and is due for the rest in April. Not only did Victorino require Arizona to abolish the two programs within 60 days or face paying back the money already received, she said that “Treasury may also withhold funds from the state of Arizona’s second tranche installment of ARP funds until Treasury receives information that confirms that the issues described above have been adequately addressed.”

Governor Doug Ducey’s chief of staff, Daniel Ruiz, said that Phoenix only found out about the letter from news reports.

“We think that this program is above board,” Ruiz told AP. “We’re going to defend that program and any other future program that is designed to get kids caught back up and mitigate the learning loss” due to school closures and remote learning since the pandemic began.

Ruiz added that the governor intends to “challenge at every level in terms of court proceedings any attempt by them to retroactively change policies or rules.”

Ducey introduced another $10 million program last week, offering school vouchers to parents whose children’s schools close even for one day due to Covid-19. The Arizona Republic newspaper described it as “largely a pre-emptive effort,” since there have been no school closures in the state since the start of the year.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×