{"id":17909,"date":"2021-11-12T16:05:01","date_gmt":"2021-11-12T21:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=17909"},"modified":"2021-11-12T19:21:00","modified_gmt":"2021-11-13T00:21:00","slug":"a-clear-message-to-sovereign-nations-indian-country-cheers-passage-of-1-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/11\/12\/a-clear-message-to-sovereign-nations-indian-country-cheers-passage-of-1-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018A clear message to sovereign nations\u2019: Indian Country cheers passage of $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Mark<\/a>
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), left, converses with Seth Damon, Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, at council chambers in Window Rock, Arizona, on November 11, 2021. During a council session, Navajo lawmakers thanked Kelly for supporting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. Photo: Navajo Nation Council<\/figcaption>\r\n
\u2018A clear message to sovereign nations\u2019<\/div>\r\n
Indian Country cheers passage of $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill<\/div>\r\n
Friday, November 12, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Acee Agoyo<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. — A $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that includes billions of dollars in investments for Indian Country is finally over the finish line on Capitol Hill.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nAfter months of wrangling, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act cleared its last hurdle in the 117th Congress last Friday. The bill, numbered H.R.3684<\/a>, will be signed into law by President Joe Biden on Monday, the White House announced<\/a>.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\u201cAs the effects of climate change continue to intensify, Indigenous communities are facing unique climate-related challenges that pose existential threats to tribal economies, infrastructure, livelihoods, and health,\u201d Secretary Deb Haaland<\/a>, who is the first Native person to lead the Department of the Interior<\/a>, said in a news release<\/a>.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n \u201cCoastal communities are facing flooding, erosion, permafrost subsidence, sea level rise, and storm surges, while inland communities are facing worsening drought and extreme heat,\u201d added Haaland, who is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, an Indian nation based in New Mexico.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal\u2019s historic investments in tribal communities will help bolster community resilience, replace aging infrastructure, and provide support needed for climate-related relocation and adaptation,\u201d Haaland said in reference to the massive package, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives<\/a>, as well as the U.S. Senate<\/a>, with overwhelming Democratic and significant Republican support.\r\n

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The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal provides $736 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, including investments for tribal infrastructure projects and tribal climate resiliency initiatives. #BID #DOI #BIA #TribalInfrastructure #TribalResiliency https:\/\/t.co\/PbfOVjzuid<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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<\/P>\r\nHistoric portions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act<\/a> include $2.5 billion for tribal water rights settlements, $2.9 billion for tribal transportation projects and $2 billion for tribal broadband initiatives. The Bureau of Indian Affairs<\/a> alone will be seeing $736 million in funding.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\u201cThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal’s investments will directly support community led transitions for the most vulnerable tribal communities,\u201d Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland said on a conference call with reporters<\/a> on Wednesday.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cMore than $216 million will help tribes with climate adaptation, planning, ocean and coastal management, planning, and capacity building,\u201d said Newland, a citizen and former president of the Bay Mills Indian Community, based in Michigan. \u201cThat money will also help directly fund relocation efforts, managed retreat and protected in-place planning.\u201d \r\n

\r\n\u201cThe deal also makes historic investments in physical infrastructure in tribal communities,\u201d added Newland, who was confirmed to his political post at the Department of the Interior in August. \u201cIt includes $250 million for construction, repair improvement, and maintenance of irrigation and power systems, dam safety, water sanitation, and other facilities on tribal lands. These investments will directly help tribes upgrade their aging infrastructure that is at risk of threatening the health and safety of their communities.\u201d\r\n

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