evidence: Overall, federal aid to state and local governments has risen by over $400 billion since 2019 because of COVID-19's burden on healthcare and social programs. [...] The COVID-19 public health emergency – which officially ended May 11, 2023 – made it difficult for local organizations to request funds and for federal bodies to grant them due to stringent requirements attached to specific grant measures, as opposed to general purpose fiscal assistance. As a result, the Office of Management and Budget issued temporary exceptions to allow aid to flow more freely during the pandemic. [...] Total federal funding to state and local governments fell 23.2% between 2021 and 2023 but remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Much of this reduction is attributable to the December 2021 end of the Covid Relief Fund, which provided general support to help states maintain balanced operating budgets amidst the pandemic's economic downturn.