Ohio congressional Democrats are urging the U.S. Department of Treasury secretary to make townships eligible for direct payments under the recent $1.9 trillion federal COVID-19 relief bill.

The bill includes $350 billion to state and local governments, including $11.24 billion in funding coming to Ohio — with $5.9 billion going directly to the state government and the rest going to local governments.

But there “are conflicting reports on whether Ohio townships will directly receive funds” because of changes made between the House and Senate versions, according to the Ohio Township Association.

U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan, D-Howland;,Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, and Joyce Beatty, D-Columbus, as well as U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, wrote a letter Thursday to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, also a Democrat, asking that townships be included.

The law gives Yellen the discretion to determine the extent to which townships are eligible for funding. The “discretion has led to confusion and concern among local towns and townships about their eligibility for direct support,” the letter reads.

The delegation asked Yellen to resolve the matter in favor of the townships.

“After a long, trying year, it is critical we provide this urgent relief to our local governments who are on the front lines serving our communities each and every day,” the letter reads. “As you begin issuing guidance and implementing the American Rescue Plan, we urge you to ensure towns and townships across the country are made eligible for direct relief to the fullest extent possible.”

When the funding was announced March 11, Ryan said his office was working to get a clarification, but “there is money for the townships.”

The Congressional Research Service provided unofficial estimated ranges for local townships, saying they would likely change and were calculated based on if a township’s population includes parts of villages and cities.

Among the potential biggest amounts for Valley townships included $7,240,568 to $8,703,504 for Boardman; $6,503,224 to $7,817,182 for Austintown; $4,563,954 to $5,486,089 for Weathersfield (though most of that is likely part of Niles’ allocation); $3,841,025 to $4,617,093 for Liberty (though that could include part of Girard’s funding), and $3,367,942 to $4,048,426 for Howland.

Officials from several of the townships said when the unofficial data was provided that they were waiting for clarity from the federal government on whether the money would arrive.

Mahoning and Trumbull counties and communities are to receive more than $260 million under the bill, with Youngstown getting the most at $88,629,500. Mahoning County is to receive $44,351,600 and Trumbull County $38,395,838 while Warren is expected to get $29,752,062.