; however increased attention must also be paid to financial literacy education reform and long-term solutions to prevent future personal financial disasters. (6) There is an urgent need to respond to the COVID–19 economic recovery with research-based financial literacy education programs to reach individuals at all ages and socioeconomic levels, particularly those facing unique and challenging financial situations, such as high school graduates entering the workforce, soon-to-be and recent college graduates, young families, and the unique needs of military personnel and their families. (7) High school and college students who are exposed to cumulative financial education show an increase in financial knowledge, which in turn drives increasingly responsible behavior as they become young adults. (8) The majority (52 percent) of young adults between the ages of 23–28 consider making better choices about managing money , the single most important issue for individual Americans to act on today. (9) According to the Government Accountability Office, giving Americans the information they need to make effective financial decisions can be key to their well-being and to the country’s economic health. The current pandemic, in which 88 percent of Americans say is causing stress on their personal finances, underscores the need to improve individuals’ financial literacy and empower all Americans to make informed financial decisions. This is especially true for young people as they are earning their first paychecks, securing student aid, and establishing their financial independence. Therefore, focusing economic education and financial literacy efforts and best practices for young people between the ages of 8–24 is of utmost importance. 3. Authorization for funding the establishment of centers of excellence in financial literacy education (a) In general The Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 ( 12 U.S.C. 5481 et seq. ) is amended— (1) by redesignating section 1037 as section 1038