{"id":1887,"date":"2020-10-01T22:25:58","date_gmt":"2020-10-02T03:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=1887"},"modified":"2020-11-03T13:51:57","modified_gmt":"2020-11-03T19:51:57","slug":"tribes-and-native-corporations-prepared-for-fight-over-disputed-covid-19-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/10\/01\/tribes-and-native-corporations-prepared-for-fight-over-disputed-covid-19-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribes and Native corporations still at odds over disputed COVID-19 funding"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\"><iframe class=\"embed-responsive-item\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TAFpBJyH3Mo\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Indianz.Com Video: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/TAFpBJyH3Mo>D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals &#8211; Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation v. Steven Mnuchin  &#8211; September 11, 2020<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\"> Tribes and Native corporations still at odds over disputed COVID-19 funding <\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Thursday, October 1, 2020<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Acee Agoyo<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nWith sparring continuing in court, time is running out on the $8 billion in <a href=\/covid19\/>COVID-19<\/a> relief that was promised to tribal governments more than six months ago.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nAlthough most of the money has been allocated as the coronavirus continues to impact American Indians and Alaska Natives at disproportionate rates, a  significant sum  &#8212; about  $535 million &#8212; is still on the table. The leftover funds have been the subject of one of the most <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/09\/18\/lisa-murkowski-war-ncai\/>bitter policy and legal disputes<\/a> in recent history.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nJust last Friday, the <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/09\/25\/appeals-court-sides-with-tribes-in-covid-19-funding-dispute\/>dispute was seemingly resolved<\/a>. In a unanimous decision, the <a href=https:\/\/www.cadc.uscourts.gov\/>D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals<\/a> held that Congress intended the money to go to sovereign tribal governments, not to for-profit <a href=https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alaska_Native_corporation>Alaska Native corporations<\/a>, also known as ANCs.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nYet Indian nations are no closer to securing the remaining dollars. The Trump administration, whose officials have supported the ANCs despite opposition from tribes and tribal organizations in every region of the country, has not committed to following the ruling.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nAs a result,  tribes are prepared for continued litigation. The case   could  even end up at the <a href=https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/>U.S. Supreme Court<\/a>,  where Indian Country doesn&#8217;t  have such a great track record.\r\n<P><\/p>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">U.S. District Court of Appeals rules in favor of Federally-recognized tribes in CARES Act litigation <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ewJfg3Zswo\">pic.twitter.com\/ewJfg3Zswo<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NNPrezNez\/status\/1309640746186678273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 25, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/p>\r\n\u201cAs this matter moves forward to appeal, as we anticipate, we will continue to fight for what rightfully belongs to federally-recognized tribes,\u201d said  <a href=https:\/\/twitter.com\/NNPrezNez>President Jonathan Nez<\/a> of the <a href=http:\/\/www.navajo-nsn.gov\/>Navajo Nation<\/a>, one of the plaintiffs in the case.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nThe possibility of further appeals means tribes won&#8217;t have much flexibility in spending what&#8217;s left in the coronavirus relief fund. Through the  <a href=https:\/\/home.treasury.gov\/policy-issues\/cares>Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act<\/a>, also known as the <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/Video\/2020\/03\/30\/cares-act-coronavirus-relief-f.asp>CARES Act<\/a>,  Congress required the money to be spent by December 31.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nIf not, the funds will revert back to the  <a href=https:\/\/www.treasury.gov\/>Department of the Treasury<\/a>, the agency whose handling of the COVID-19 relief has been marred by <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/06\/12\/no-can-of-worms-judge-wont-let-trump-adm.asp>repeated delays<\/a>, a   <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/09\/24\/tribal-coronavirus-relief-data-breach-trump-administration-covid19\/>breach of sensitive tribal data<\/a>  and, of course, <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/covid19\/2020\/06\/12\/cares-act-hearing-the-original-case\/>litigation<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cThis win, of course, comes at a cost to tribal governments of something very valuable: time,\u201d said <a href=https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr>Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr.<\/a> of the <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/>Cherokee Nation<\/a>, whose tribe was involved in a different CARES Act lawsuit against the Trump administration.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Cherokee Nation Principal Chief <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ChuckHoskin_Jr<\/a> issues the following statement today on the court\u2019s opinion regarding Alaska Native Corporations non-entitlement to CARES Act funds. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Jt3dX2FVgy\">pic.twitter.com\/Jt3dX2FVgy<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CherokeeNation (@CherokeeNation) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CherokeeNation\/status\/1309608373592170496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 25, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nYet the  same deadline applies to the ANCs. Should they eventually prevail, they won&#8217;t have much time to spend the money either, even though their  shareholders and the communities they serve have been dealing with the coronavirus for just as long as the rest of Indian Country.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cThis ruling is a devastating blow to Alaska Native communities facing an alarming increase in COVID-19,\u201d the <a href=https:\/\/ancsaregional.com\/>ANCSA Regional Association<\/a> and the <a href=https:\/\/anvca.biz\/>Alaska Native Village Corporation Association<\/a> said of the September 25 decision from the appeals court.\r\n<P><\/p>\r\n\u201cWe fear this deeply flawed ruling will only make things worse by keeping critical health services and economic relief from reaching our remote communities and villages who are most at risk,\u201d the <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/araanvca092520.pdf>organizations added<\/a> in a statement.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cAs a leading voice for Alaska\u2019s Native communities, the ANCSA Regional Association and Alaska Native Village Corporation Association will continue to fight for the federal assistance our people need to survive this pandemic,\u201d they said.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\r\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n  <\/script><\/div><p><\/p>\r\nSo far, the ANCs have not yet indicated how they will keep fighting. As of Thursday night,  they had  not asked the D.C. Circuit to rehear the case.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nBut in a <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/01218268155.pdf>filing this week<\/a>, the  ANCs laid the grounds for reconsideration. They  said  the D.C. Circuit&#8217;s opinion conflicts with one from the <a href=https:\/\/www.ca9.uscourts.gov\/>9th Circuit Court of Appeals<\/a> regarding the treatment of Native corporations under federal law.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cThat acknowledged circuit split creates a distinct prospect for further review,\u201d asserted attorney <a href=https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paul_Clement>Paul Clement<\/a>,  who is one of the most prominent Republican legal advocates in America.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nThe Trump administration hasn&#8217;t taken any steps to appeal  either. But in a <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/01218268155.pdf>filing of their own<\/a>,  government attorneys  admitted that <a href=https:\/\/twitter.com\/stevenmnuchin1>Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin<\/a> would have to pay the  leftover  COVID-19 funds to tribes, not to the corporations.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nAccording to the <a href=https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/>Department of Justice<\/a>, \u201cif this court\u2019s recent decision becomes final, then a court could issue an appropriate order, and the Secretary could pay the remaining funds to federally recognized tribes.\u201d\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Now in spreadsheet form! Search and sort to find out how much tribal governments received from the $8 billion <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CoronavirusReliefFund?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CoronavirusReliefFund<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Coronavirus<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CARESAct?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CARESAct<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aVuyyitszv\">https:\/\/t.co\/aVuyyitszv<\/a><\/p>&mdash; indianz.com (@indianz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/indianz\/status\/1309519943566843906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 25, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nYet up until the government informed the D.C. Circuit of its position on Wednesday, tribes weren&#8217;t so sure their trustee would distribute the money. In fact,  they  became so  alarmed about the COVID-19 relief disappearing in the federal bureaucracy forever that they <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/01218268155.pdf>filed an  \u201cemergency\u201d request<\/a> to ensure the $535 million stays on the table.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cPlaintiffs had hoped that, in the wake of the decision, the Secretary would provide sufficient assurance of his willingness and authority to disburse the remaining Title V monies to federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages, either before the end of the fiscal year, or after its conclusion if he or the defendant-intervenors intend to seek further review of this court\u2019s decision,\u201d the tribes wrote on Tuesday, referring to the section of the CARES Act pertaining to  the coronavirus relief fund.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cThe Secretary has declined to provide that assurance,\u201d the tribes said in their <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/01218268155.pdf>joint motion<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nAnd even though the government responded on Wednesday with a promise to pay in the event it is ordered to pay, not everyone was convinced. Attorneys for the <a href=http:\/\/utetribe.com\/>Ute Tribe<\/a> wrote separately to underscore their unwillingness to suspend their disbelief.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cTo avoid any potential later claims to the contrary, the Ute Tribe notes that its position is that under the CARES Act, the United States will have the duty to  promptly make payment after this court issues is mandate, unless a party moves for and obtains a further injunction,\u201d the <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/01218268155.pdf>attorneys stated<\/a>.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<figure>\r\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" data-attachment-id=\"1917\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/10\/01\/tribes-and-native-corporations-prepared-for-fight-over-disputed-covid-19-funding\/supremecourt-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/supremecourt-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 11 Pro Max&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1600557341&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4.25&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"supremecourt\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/supremecourt-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/supremecourt-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"supreme court\"   class=\"alignnone img-fluid wp-image-1917\" \/>\r\n <figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Rival groups of  protesters are seen outside of  the U.S. Supreme Court on September 19, 2020, a day after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the age of 87.  Photo by Indianz.Com <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nBut with the window still open for  further appeals, including one to the Supreme Court,  the D.C. Circuit  laid down some ground rules in response to the sparring. An <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/01218268155.pdf>order issued later on Wednesday<\/a> cleared  the way   for Treasury to pay the  COVID-19 funds once the litigation concludes, whenever it concludes.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe most obvious route for an appeal would be  to ask the D.C. Circuit to rehear the case <EM>en banc<\/EM>, meaning it would be heard by a larger panel of judges.  These kinds of  petitions are typically granted in situations of significant legal importance, or in the instance of circuit splits, as Clement pointed out.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nLast week&#8217;s decision was issued by a panel of   three judges, with the <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/20-5204-1863446.pdf>court&#8217;s opinion<?a> being written  by  <a href=https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gregory_G._Katsas>Judge Gregory Katsas<\/a>, who was nominated to the bench by President Donald Trump.\r\n<P><\/p>\r\nIt\u2019s also possible for the Trump administration, or the ANCs, to take the matter directly to the Supreme Court, whose   <a href=https:\/\/sct.narf.org\/termindexes\/october2020.html>October 2020 term<\/a> begins on Monday. But  the  passing of   <a href=https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ruth_Bader_Ginsburg>Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg<\/a>  has  made this   route  of appeal  less desirable.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nWhile the nation&#8217;s highest court can operate with   eight justices,  any 4-4  ties will result in the lower ruling being affirmed. It&#8217;s happened not  only <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2016\/06\/23\/supreme-court-deadlocks-on-closelywatche.asp>once<\/a> but <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2018\/06\/11\/treaty-tribes-score-unusual-victory-in-c.asp>twice<\/a> in Indian law cases in the last four years. \r\n<P><\/P>\r\n The number   <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2019\/06\/27\/supreme-court-shocks-indian-country-by-f.asp>goes up to three<\/a> if the court&#8217;s failure to resolve one of the most consequential Indian law cases in recent history is taken into account. The  prospect of another one would not be favorable to the ANCs or the Trump administration.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">With their campaigns at stake, Republicans are rushing to confirm a federal judge with virtually no experience in Indian law to the nation&#39;s highest court. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AmyConeyBarrett?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AmyConeyBarrett<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/SupremeCourt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#SupremeCourt<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NativeVote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NativeVote<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NativeVote20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NativeVote20<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NativeVote2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NativeVote2020<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lnovZ5SPfz\">https:\/\/t.co\/lnovZ5SPfz<\/a><\/p>&mdash; indianz.com (@indianz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/indianz\/status\/1310982347093880832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nTrump has nominated  <a href=https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amy_Coney_Barrett>Amy Coney Barrett<\/a>, a federal appeals court judge with <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/09\/28\/republicans-rush-to-confirm-supreme-court-nominee-ahead-of-election\/>virtually no experience in Indian law<\/a>, to  fill the vacancy left by Ginsburg&#8217;s passing on September 18 at the age of 87.\r\nRepublicans are moving  quickly to confirm  the president&#8217;s pick, with confirmation hearings scheduled to begin on October 12.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nThrough the CARES Act, Congress authorized  a total of  $150 billion in  COVID-19 relief for tribes, states and local governments. Of the overall   amount, $8 billion was set aside for tribal governments, though the law did not explicitly define the term.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe CARES Act instead made reference to    \u201cIndian tribes,\u201d as   defined by the <a href=https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indian_Self-Determination_and_Education_Assistance_Act_of_1975>Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act<\/a>. The landmark law, which dates to 1975,    authorizes tribal governments, as well as Alaska Native corporations,  to manage  federal programs as they see fit.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n Relying on the long-standing definition, the Department of the Treasury concluded that ANCs are entitled to shares of the $8 billion coronavirus relief fund.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<figure>\r\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" data-attachment-id=\"1924\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/10\/01\/tribes-and-native-corporations-prepared-for-fight-over-disputed-covid-19-funding\/jonathannez-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jonathannez.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"jonathannez\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jonathannez-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jonathannez.jpg\" alt=\"jonathannez\"  class=\"alignnone img-fluid wp-image-1924\" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">President Jonathan Nez of the Navajo Nation addresses officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the tribe&#8217;s capital in Window Rock, Arizona, on October 1, 2020. Photo: <a href=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NezLizer2018\/>Navajo Nation Office of President and Vice President<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe D.C. Circuit, however, said Treasury got it wrong. While ANCs are \u201cIndian tribes\u201d for purposes of self-determination contracts, they are not   \u201crecognized\u201d governments that enjoy a unique relationship with the United States by virtue of their inherent sovereignty,  <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/20-5204-1863446.pdf>Judge Katsas wrote<\/a> for the court.\r\n<P><\/p>\r\n\u201cThe ANCs have not satisfied the recognition clause as we construe it,&#8221; Katsos observed after recounting the history of the <a href=https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indian_termination_policy>termination era<\/a>, in which some tribes lost their government-to-government status,  that preceded the age of self-determination.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n \u201cThey do not contend that the United States has acknowledged a political relationship with them government-to-government,\u201d he said of the Native corporations, of which there are more than 200 in Alaska.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nAlaska is also home to more than 220 sovereign tribal governments. Like their counterparts in the lower 48, they too have received <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/09\/25\/spreadsheet-coronavirus-relief-fund-allocations-for-tribal-governments\/>shares of the coronavirus relief fund<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nBut   Treasury&#8217;s allocation method  has exposed a disparity in Alaska. While about $535 million has been set aside for the ANCs, the tribes in the 49th state have   received only about $308 million, according to data posted on <a href=https:\/\/www.usaspending.gov\/>usaspending.gov<\/a>, a federal government site that was recently <a href=https:\/\/www.usaspending.gov\/search\/321227db8295b108e9935f42b8a1dfcb>updated with COVID-19 spending<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"h4-responsive sub\">D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Decision<\/div>\r\n <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/20-5204-1863446.pdf>Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation  v. Steven Mnuchin<\/a>\r\n (September 25, 2020)\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"h5-responsive sub\"> ANCSA Regional Association   and the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association Statement <\/div>\r\nThe  full September 25, 2020,  statement from the <a href=https:\/\/ancsaregional.com\/>ANCSA Regional Association<\/a> and the <a href=https:\/\/anvca.biz\/>Alaska Native Village Corporation Association<\/a> follows:\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cThis ruling is a devastating blow to Alaska Native communities facing an alarming increase in COVID-19. Both CDC and Alaska data show that Alaska Native people suffer from a disproportionate number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths. We fear this deeply flawed ruling will only make things worse by keeping critical health services and economic relief from reaching our remote communities and villages who are most at risk.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nFor forty years, courts and administrative agencies have consistently recognized that Alaska Native communities are uniquely organized, as designed by Congress. Within this framework that includes both regional and village corporations, we strive every day to bring our \u2018shareholders\u2019 \u2013 our Alaska Native brothers and sisters \u2013 economic opportunity, as well as vital social, health, cultural and educational services. Until today, our status as Indians under the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act, which expressly includes Alaska Native Corporations among other types of Indian Tribes, has never been called into doubt.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nAs a leading voice for Alaska\u2019s Native communities, the ANCSA Regional Association and Alaska Native Village Corporation Association will continue to fight for the Federal assistance our people need to survive this pandemic.\u201d\r\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It&#8217;s been over six months since Congress set aside $8 billion in COVID-19 relief for Indian Country. The battle over the funds is still not over.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1924,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,19,20,13,1,14],"tags":[468,78,79,390,80,221,81,74,77,76,5,83,362,75,28,24,82,85,345,193,220,776,84,203,89,467],"class_list":["post-1887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-health","category-indian-trust","category-law","category-national","category-politics","tag-9th-circuit","tag-alaska","tag-alaska-native","tag-amy-coney-barrett","tag-ancs","tag-anvca","tag-ara","tag-cares-act","tag-cherokee","tag-chuck-hoskin","tag-coronavirus","tag-dc-circuit","tag-doj","tag-donald-trump","tag-jonathan-nez","tag-navajo","tag-paul-clement","tag-republicans","tag-ruth-bader-ginsburg","tag-self-determination","tag-sovereignty","tag-steven-mnuchin","tag-supreme-court","tag-termination","tag-treasury","tag-ute","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jonathannez.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-ur","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1887","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1887"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1887\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1887"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1887"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1887"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}