On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, into law. The U.S. Senate approved the bill 50-49, while the U.S. House of Representatives voted 220-211 for approval.
Billed as a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, the 242-page American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 includes language that impacts the aviation industry. For example, it includes $14 billion in for the payroll support program to air carriers, including for commercial general aviation operators. The Act also provides $8 billion in support for airports, including $100 million specifically for general aviation airports.
From a small-business perspective, the Act includes $15 billion for additional economic injury disaster loans, and it has a provision to allow certain aviation employers to receive up to 50% of the cost of base compensation and benefits for the 25% of its employees most at risk of furlough or layoff, excluding senior executive employees.
To read the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in its entirety, click here. For a statement from the Alliance for Aviation Across America, click here (the AEA is a member of the Alliance for Aviation Across America).