All three were major federal spending bills enacted consecutively to protect American working people and businesses from the worst fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. They differ in the details and the time periods during which they were effective: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) authorized direct payments to individuals, generous monthly rebates to families with children, and extended unemployment benefits for laid-off workers. It was in effect from March 13, 2020, through Dec. 30, 2020. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, at $910 billion, extended many of the benefits available under the CARES Act and included a refundable tax credit of $600 per family member. It went into effect on Dec. 27, 2020. The American Rescue Plan (ARPA), at $1.9 trillion, was only a little smaller than the CARES Act. It extended or revised many of the benefits of the CARES Act, including rebates to taxpayers, benefits for the unemployed, and tax credits for parents. It was signed into law on March 11, 2021, and most provisions expired on Sept. 30, 2021.