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Committee questions ARPA spending timeline; commissioner says projects must finish by Dec. 31, 2026
Summary
Members pressed officials on American Rescue Plan Act deadlines and recurring requests to extend spending authority; the commissioner said remaining capital projects vary in completion dates and unspent funds would revert to the federal government after the deadline.
Members of the Fiscal Committee raised questions June 20 about a series of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) items that have returned repeatedly for extended spending authority.
Commissioner Caswell told the committee that federal ARPA rules require expenditures to be completed by Dec. 31, 2026, and that an item (listed in the agenda as intended to preserve spending authority) is meant to allow ongoing capital projects to finish work and continue to pay contracts.
“Everything has to be expended by 12/31/2026,” Commissioner Caswell said. He described the items under review as largely ongoing capital projects—some might finish within a month, others could take another year—and said the administration is attempting to avoid any funds remaining at the federal deadline.
If funds remain unobligated or unexpended by the federal deadline, Commissioner Caswell said the unused funds would revert to the federal government. He told the committee staff has been working to keep projects on track and to accommodate contract payment schedules.
Committee members noted that some ARPA items have appeared repeatedly in recent years and asked whether project delays reflected a failure to plan or the normal course of multi-year capital work. Caswell said shifts are usually internal to previously obligated contracts and that trustees or departments would report known shifts; he emphasized many projects are simply large capital efforts that take time.
The committee proceeded with its agenda after the exchange; members signaled interest in continued oversight of ARPA accounts and timelines.
(Authorities cited in committee discussion: federal ARPA expenditure deadline.)
