KEWAUNEE – The massive COVID-19 relief package that provided $1,400 stimulus checks to Americans also will steer over $281,000 to the city of Kewaunee government, and $301,000 to the city of Algoma.

President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law on March 11. In addition to the checks going directly to individuals and families, the relief package adds $300 in weekly unemployment insurance for those who are jobless and money for schools returning to full-time, in-person classes, for vaccine distribution and for small businesses and local and state governments.

A total of $19.53 billion was allocated for local governments, according to the House Oversight Committee, which provided a breakdown of the estimated funding for each state, county and municipality in the United States. Each city's designated relief money was calculated through a formula established by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

The American Rescue Plan allows cities and counties to use the money to backfill lost revenue for government services during the pandemic. Money can also go toward financial assistance for people, businesses and economic sectors hit hard by the pandemic.

The package also includes money for the county's villages and towns, and for the county, itself. Those receiving the most money are: village of Luxemburg, with $254,145 and town of Luxemburg, with $145,903. 

The county government will receive $3.96 million.

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin that local governments have until 2024 to spend the money.

The American Rescue Plan mostly passed along partisan lines. No U.S. House Republicans voted for the bill; that includes U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, whose district includes Kewaunee County.

Gallagher's office referred the Green Bay Press-Gazette to a March 10 press statement explaining why he voted against the relief package.

Gallagher took issue with several parts of the bill including the $300 per week of federal unemployment relief through September and that the package would "create a bonus for bureaucrats by authorizing funds to be used to provide up to $25,000 in premium pay to eligible state and local government workers."

Taima Kern contributed to this article.

Contact Nusaiba Mizan at (920) 431-8310 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @nusaiblah.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Kewaunee County cities to receive more than $582,000 in COVID-19 relief package