{"id":1353,"date":"2020-03-25T10:50:41","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T14:50:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/covid19\/?p=1353"},"modified":"2020-03-25T10:51:26","modified_gmt":"2020-03-25T14:51:26","slug":"sen-tom-udall-d-new-mexico-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/covid19\/2020\/03\/25\/sen-tom-udall-d-new-mexico-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Sen. Tom Udall (D-New Mexico)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Tom<\/p>\n

For Immediate Release<\/b><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

March 25, 2020<\/b><\/p>\n

Udall Statement on Tribal Provisions in Senate Bipartisan Emergency COVID-19 Relief Package Compromise Agreement<\/u><\/b><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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Udall, Senate Democrats secured important improvements to meet the unique COVID-19 related needs of Native communities<\/i><\/b><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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Udall renews call for Tribal-specific title in future COVID-19 stimulus packages<\/i><\/b><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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WASHINGTON \u2013U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.)<\/b>, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, issued the following statement on the improvements to the third COVID-19 emergency relief package that Senate Democrats secured to address the unique needs of Indian Tribes and urban Indian health programs:<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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\u201cTribes are on the front lines of this public health crisis, and they have been very clear that they need health, economic, and community COVID-19 recovery resources. That is why I\u2019ve pushed for inclusion of Tribal-specific resources and policies,\u201d Udall said.<\/b> \u201cI\u2019m proud that I was able to work with my Senate Democratic colleagues to fight for important Tribal-specific provisions to improve this urgent legislation. We stood with Indian Country to secure an $8 billion Tribal government relief fund to provide 574 Indian Tribes with the flexible resources they need for COVID-19 response and economic recovery. The compromise will also provide over $2 billion in emergency supplemental funding for programs at the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and HUD\u2019s Office of Native American Programs. <\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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\u201cNo doubt \u2013 these are key victories. But the fight to make sure Indian Country isn\u2019t left behind in the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic must continue. Congress must do more to respond to the unique COVID-19 related public health and economic crises in Indian Country and to uphold our trust and treaty responsibilities to all American Indians and Alaska Natives. As vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I\u2019m renewing my call for our next response package to include a Tribal-specific title, and for pushing Congress and the Trump administration to make sure Indian Country has equal access to federal coronavirus resources.\u201d<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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The bipartisan Senate agreement will establish an $8 billion Tribal Government Relief fund to ensure Indian Tribes have direct \u201cone stop\u201d access to COVID-19 resources for economic recovery and continuation of essential government services based on local needs.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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The agreement also contains over $2 billion in emergency supplemental funding for Indian Tribes, urban Indian health programs, and Native communities, including:<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n