State of Iowa returning $95 million returning in COVID relief funding to the federal government

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - A spokesperson for Governor Kim Reynolds has confirmed to KCRG-TV9 that the state of Iowa is returning $95 million in COVID relief funding to the federal government.

During an interview on Fox News on Thursday night, Gov. Reynolds said that the money was “additional” and supposed to be used to get kids back into the classroom and do surveillance testing.

Reynolds said Iowa’s students have been back in school since August. While that was true for the vast majority of schools, the largest district, in Des Moines, didn’t reopen for in-person until October.

Reynolds’ office said the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has returned the money.

In a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) said Iowa has “ample funding and testing capacity available to school districts.” But the letter says if the purpose of the funding changes and the state could use it for other uses, they’d want to keep the $95 million.

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