Udall said several senators and representatives, including Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), who is one of the first two Native women in Congress, asked for a lot more for tribes. “We started and fought very, very hard for $20 billion,” Udall said on the conference call. “We didn’t believe it would take care of everything, but we thought that it was a very good number. It got whittled down in the process.” “At one point, we were getting word of the White House that they would only accept three (billion dollars), but we got it to eight and we’re happy about that.” Udall, who also serves as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, said the funds approved for agencies that serve tribal governments includes $1.032 billion for the Indian Health Service, $453 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to meet tribes’ safety needs and to purchase protective equipment and another $327 million for the Bureau of Indian Education.With the number of positive #COVID19 cases rising in tribal communities, Indian Country will finally see billions of dollars in relief from a major #Coronavirus package almost over the finish line on Capitol Hill. https://t.co/tk1glXDSHU
— indianz.com (@indianz) March 26, 2020
Udall said lawmakers looked back at what Congress appropriated to federal agencies that serve tribes in the federal stimulus packages approved in 2008 and 2009 to decide what to include in this week’s $2 trillion coronavirus relief package. He said federal lawmakers are now beginning deliberation on relief packages related to infrastructure needs in America and he plans to work to ensure tribes are included in those relief efforts as well. “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that vulnerable tribal members and the tribes themselves are taken care of,” he said.Unlike enemies America has faced throughout history, #COVID19 is one that can dangerously hide in plain sight and threaten the health and wellbeing of any American community. #Coronavirus https://t.co/KHGmUNPzMM
— indianz.com (@indianz) March 26, 2020
Udall wasn't the only lawmaker who encountered difficulties in ensuring Indian Country wasn't left behind. Sen. Martha McSally (R-Arizona), another member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, said she had to work closely with the White House and Republican leadership in the chamber to keep the $8 billion in the coronavirus relief bill. "I won't bore you with all the knife-fighting that had to happen here," McSally said on a town hall hosted by several Indian organizations on Thursday, "but I was literally presiding on the floor of the Senate the night that the deal was announced and this fund was still in jeopardy." McSally said she "went to the mat" with high-level officials from the White House and from the office of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), the Republican Senate Majority Leader, to keep the $8 billion alive after attempts to reduce it -- and even remove it -- were made. "I told them, 'We've gotta get this money for the tribes!'" McSally said on the town hall. "It has to happen!" "They came back and reported to me that we had secured, in the last part of the negotiations, because of that final push, $8 billion," said McSally, who began pushing for the set-aside late last week after the initial bill failed to include Indian Country. The House is anticipated to take up and pass the relief bill on Friday. President Trump has said he will sign it into law.The #Coronavirus is impacting everyone and changing our everyday lives. #COVID19 https://t.co/qhbomT2ovh
— indianz.com (@indianz) March 26, 2020
New cases of COVID-19 reaches 71 for Navajo Nation WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — On Thursday, Navajo Nation President Jonathan...
Posted by Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer on Thursday, March 26, 2020
Related Stories
Coronavirus relief coming to Indian Country with passage of bipartisan legislation
(March 26, 2020)Tribes face great need and don't have enough resources to respond to the coronavirus pandemic (March 26, 2020)
Rep. Tom Cole: Fighting an invisible enemy in the #Coronavirus (March 25, 2020)
Rep. Markwayne Mullin: Resources for those impacted by #COVID19 (March 25, 2020)
Indian Health Service works to distribute more coronavirus funding to tribes as cases continue to grow (March 24, 2020)
Kevin Abourezk: Indian Country can't be left behind in coronavirus crisis (March 24, 2020)
Cronkite News: Republicans and Democrats feud over #coronavirus stimulus (March 24, 2020)
Urban Indian couple helps community amid coronavirus crisis (March 23, 2020)
Trump administration moves slowly on coronavirus funding for Indian Country (March 23, 2020)
PHOTOS: Lakota man helps fight the coronavirus (March 22, 2020
Montana Free Press: Neighboring counties ask Yellowstone National Park to close (March 23, 2020)
Chuck Hoskin: Safety and health are priority for Cherokee Nation (March 20, 2020)
'Lives are at risk': Coronavirus cases continue to grow in Indian Country as tribes push for action in Washington (March 19, 2020)
COVID-19 in Indian Country: Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) goes into self-quarantine (March 19, 2020)
COVID-19 in Indian Country: Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) goes into self-quarantine (March 19, 2020)
Doug George-Kanentiio: How the Mohawks responded to historical plagues (March 19, 2020)
Rep. Tom Cole: Flatten the #Coronavirus curve (March 19, 2020)
Rep. Markwayne Mullin: Do your part to flatten the #COVID19 curve (March 19, 2020)
Cronkite News: COVID-19 relief bill clears Congress as lawmakers prepare new package (March 19, 2020)
David Korten: Why coronavirus is humanity's wakeup call (March 19, 2020)
Indian Country plunges into uncertainty as coronavirus reaches their communities (March 18, 2020)
'The fight is here and now': Sacred site debate returns to nation's capital amid familiar challenges (March 12, 2020)
'We are staying on top of it': Oglala Sioux Tribe declares coronavirus emergency (March 11, 2020)
Tribes test Trump administration's commitment with coronavirus crisis (March 9, 2020)
United South and Eastern Tribes cancel D.C. meeting over coronavirus concerns (March 9, 2020)
Indian Country Today: Some say go while others say no after COVID-19 disruption (March 6, 2020)
NIGA keeps close watch on coronavirus ahead of annual convention (March 6, 2020)
Indian Health Service nominee in limbo amid another high-profile crisis (March 5, 2020)
Umatilla Tribes reopen casino after addressing coronavirus (March 5, 2020)
Indian Country Today: Warnings for tribes as coronavirus spreads (March 3, 2020)
Umatilla Tribes shut down casino and takes precautions as coronavirus hits Indian Country (March 2, 2020)
Rep. Tom Cole: Ready to combat coronavirus (February 19, 2020)
Indian Country Today: Risk from virus called 'very low' by health officials (January 29, 2020)
Join the Conversation