
The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF, aka local ARPA funds) are definitely not on the federal debt ceiling negotiating table, so there is no need to worry or make rushed obligations in fear that your local ARPA award might be "clawed back".
When the U.S. Treasury distributed the SLFRF money to *grantees* — including the Vermont towns, cities, and villages that accepted their local ARPA funds — it created an "obligation" as defined by the Government Accountability Office. You can read GOA's definition of obligation here. And relax.