• Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed back on his predecessor’s suggestion that states return unused federal COVID-19 relief money to pay off the national debt.
• Sen. Rick Scott, governor from 2011-19, last month sent a letter to the nation’s governors and mayors, calling on them to return unused federal COVID-19 relief funds. In the letter, Scott noted that Congress passed a law last year that allows returned funds to be used to pay down the federal debt.
• DeSantis, considered a potential contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, on Wednesday was asked about Scott’s suggestion.
• “If you look at how much money that is … it’s like $100 million, $200 million, a few hundred million,” DeSantis said after announcing his framework for the state’s 2023-24 fiscal budget.

Tagged: COVID-19