HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Facing a Dec. 31 deadline, the Connecticut House of Representatives approved a Democratic plan to spend at least $360 million in remaining federal COVID-19 pandemic funds on key areas, including higher education, not-for-profit social service agencies, municipal aid and children’s mental health.

Democrats, who control the General Assembly, argued the final allotment of the approximately $2.8 billion Connecticut received through the American Rescue Plan, coupled with state surplus funds, was enough to address the state’s needs. Therefore, they argued, the second year of the two-year $51 billion state budget, which passed last year, should not be renegotiated.

They also said revisiting the $26 billion budget that’s already in place for the new fiscal year beginning July 1 would have proved challenging because it’s only about $1 million below the state’s mandatory cap on spending.