Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., recently released a letter calling on state and local officials to return unused federal COVID-19 relief funds.
States received billions of dollars in aid that led to a surplus in some, including Florida.
"These funds were not targeted nor did they help families in need," Scott wrote. "Instead, many state and local governments are now swimming in extra cash, with some using funding intended for 'COVID relief' as a slush fund for their completely unrelated pet projects, like new prisons, airport gate expansions, and golf courses. This is unacceptable, particularly at a time when families and small businesses are struggling to keep up amid a raging inflation crisis and stretching budgets to keep their businesses open."
He went on to note that Congress passed a law last year that allows funds that are returned to be used to pay down the federal debt.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis previously rejected Scott’s call to return unspent COVID-19 funding, saying last March that "it doesn’t make any sense."
DeSantis said at the time, "If Florida were to send the money back, [Treasury Secretary Janet] Yellen is going to send it to Illinois, California, New York or New Jersey. I don’t think that would make sense for Floridians — for us to be giving even more money to the blue states that are already getting such a big windfall in this bill."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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