Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. of the Cherokee Nation issued the following statement in connection with a federal judge’s decision affecting the $8 billion coronavirus relief fund.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with today’s federal court ruling which upheld our belief that tribal governments would’ve suffered irreparable harm if state-chartered, for-profit Alaska Native Corporations were allowed by Treasury Secretary Mnunchin to immediately receive part of the $8 billion in governmental relief funds clearly intended to go to tribal governments. Federally recognized tribal governments, across the United States including in Alaska, work daily to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress clearly intended these governments, not Alaska corporate interests, to utilize the limited amount of CARES Act funds for recovery in Indian Country,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said.

“The Cherokee Nation congratulates the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe on the preliminary injunction which is an important victory today,” Chief Hoskin added. “We were proud to join a number of other tribes in support of the litigation through our amicus brief. Tribes are leading the effort across the country to respond to COVID-19. Today’s win is a victory for these tribal governments, who will use this funding source as intended, to bravely lead and guide decisions best for our people in the midst of one of the greatest public health crisis in generations. We look forward to an eventual full victory in the case and immediate disbursement of CARES Act funds to tribal governments.”

COURT DOCUMENTS

• DECISION: Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation v. Mnuchin
• ORDER: Granting Motions for a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction