U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, helped secure more than $31.2 billion in dedicated funding for tribal governments and Native communities, comprising the largest investment in history for Native programs. The new funding will deliver immediate relief for hard-hit Native American families and support Tribal Nations as they build a bridge toward economic recovery.
“Native communities need relief. We listened and we took action. With more than $31 billion for tribal governments and Native programs, the American Rescue Plan delivers the largest one-time investment to Native communities in history,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This historic funding is a down payment on the federal government’s trust responsibility to Native communities and will empower American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians to tackle COVID-19’s impacts on their communities.”
The $31.2 billion investment in Native communities includes:
$20 billion for tribal governments to combat COVID-19 and stabilize tribal community safety-net programs through Treasury’s State/Local “Coronavirus Relief Fund”
$6+ billion for Native health systems
· $2.340 billion for COVID-19 vaccines, testing, tracing, mitigation, and workforce expenses
· $2 billion for lost third-party medical billing reimbursements
· $600 million for health facilities construction and sanitation programs
· $500 million for clinical health services and Purchased/Referred Care
· $420 million for mental and behavioral health
· $140 million for improving health IT and telehealth access
· $84 million for Urban Indian health programs
· $10 million for potable water delivery
· $20 million set-aside for Papa Ola Lōkahi and the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems within the Community Health Centers funding at the Health Resources and Services Administration
$1.248 billion for HUD tribal & Native Hawaiian housing programs
· $498 million tribal set-aside within Treasury’s Homeowners Assistance Program for Tribes and Native housing programs
· $450 million for the Indian Housing Block Grant
· $280 million for the Indian Community Development Block Grant
· $15 million for technical assistance, administrative costs, and oversight
· $5 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant
$1.1+ billion for Native education programs, including Bureau of Indian Education schools, tribal education agencies, tribal colleges and universities, Native Hawaiian education programs, and Alaska Native education programs
· $850 million for Bureau of Indian (BIE) education programs, BIE K-12 schools & dormitories, and tribal colleges and Universities
· $190 million for Department of Education grants to tribal education agencies, Native Hawaiian education organizations, and Alaska Native education organizations
· $142+ million for tribal colleges and universities through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
· $89+ million for Native-serving institutions of higher education, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
$1+ billion for Native families
· $1+ billion for tribal child care programs and supports
· $75 million for tribal TANF grantees to provide assistance to families in need through the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund
$900 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs programs
· $772.5 million for tribal government services (i.e., general welfare assistance, assistance to tribal governments, public safety, child welfare)
· $100 million for the Housing Improvement Program
· $20 million for potable water delivery
· $7.5 million for administrative costs and oversight
$600 million for Native communities’ critical economic and infrastructure investments
· $500 million for tribal governments to support capital investments in Native businesses within Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative
· $100 million for critical infrastructure projects in Native communities
$20 million to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on Native languages
· $20 million for a new emergency Native language preservation & maintenance grant program through the Administration for Native Americans to mitigate impacts of COVID-19 on Native language communities
$19 million for Native communities’ efforts to combat domestic violence
· $18 million for tribal awardees through the Family Violence Prevention & Services Act
· $1 million for “Stronghearts” Native Domestic Violence Hotline
The American Rescue Plan Act was passed by the Senate today. The House is expected to consider the Senate bill this coming week.