COVID-19 in Indian Country
U.S. Senator Tina Smith to Mnuchin: Disburse $8 Billion  in Critical COVID-19 Relief to Tribal Governments Immediately  Treasury Has Not Distributed Any of This Critical Funding, Which was Secured in CARES Act Over a Month Ago   WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/1/20]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is urging Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to immediately disburse $8 billion in critical relief funds to […]

Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Vice Chair Deb Haaland (D-N.M) strongly criticized the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) efforts to open sacred tribal lands in New Mexico to new oil and gas extraction during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Senator Tom Udall (D-New Mexico), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, requested official reviews into the Trump administration’s handling of COVID-19 relief funding for Tribes.

Many Tribes depend on the businesses they own and operate to fund essential services in Indian Country because Tribal governments, unlike state and local governments, do not have a traditional tax base.

Rep. Greg Stanton urged President Donald Trump to take immediate action to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency local cost share to help the Navajo Nation fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

'We appreciate the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Small Business Administration for working with us to allow Indian gaming enterprises to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program.'

Following calls from Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration reversed course and made administrative changes to allow Tribal gaming operations to apply for and receive Paycheck Protection Program funding.

Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) announced that small tribal gaming enterprises under 500 employees can now apply for financial relief through the Payment Protection Program.

A new coronavirus relief bill provides $750 million to Indian Country for COVID-19 testing and response.

The Senate unanimously approved the nomination of Michael Weahkee as Director of the Indian Health Service.

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) and Sen. Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) announced the Tribal COVID-19 Disaster Assistance Cost Share Relief Act.

For Immediate Release April 21, 2020 Luján Announces “Community Champions” Initiative to Showcase New Mexicans Serving Their Communities     Nambé, N.M. – Today, Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, announced the “Community Champions” initiative to showcase New Mexicans who are bravely serving their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing public health […]

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez is scheduled to participate in a live-streamed roundtable with tribal leaders to discuss the Federal Coronavirus Response in Indian Country.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is calling on the Trump administration to prevent Alaska Native corporations from receiving a share of the $8 billion coronavirus relief fund.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona) will host a virtual roundtable with Native leaders on the Trump administration’s botched response to the coronavirus pandemic in Indian Country.

The Small Business Administration is doing nothing to help small gaming operators, according to Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada).

All states, jurisdictions and territories in the U.S. must collect demographic data on racial disparities and the coronavirus, said Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland), the House Majority Leader.

It's been a week since the Trump administration began offering $349 billion in coronavirus relief funds and certain tribal gaming entities remain locked out of critical loans.

For Immediate Release April 9, 2020 Huffman, Case, Cunningham, Graves Advocate for Fisheries Relief in Bipartisan Letter Calls on Commerce Department to Expedite CARES Act Assistance San Rafael, CA ­– Today, Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Joe Cunningham (D-SC), and Garret Graves (R-LA) led 35 of their colleagues in a bipartisan letter to […]

Lawmakers continue to call on the Small Business Administration to issue updated guidance to allow small tribal gaming enterprises under 500 employees to apply for assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program.