“Ahéhee’, President Joe Biden! The United States has made a huge rent payment to indigenous peoples of the United States in the form of the American Rescue Plan recently signed into law.” J. G. Watts, The Navajo Times, Mar 25, 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden signs the American Rescue Plan, a coronavirus relief package, in the Oval Office of the White House on March 11, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
“My wife likes to say, “Rent is due!” when discussing the federal government’s responsibility to Native communities, and that rent has been adding up since 1492…The [2021] American Rescue Plan covers:
Tribal governments, $20 billion;
• Native health care, $6 billion;
• Tribal housing, $1.2 billion;
• Native education, $1.1 billion;
• Bureau of Indian Affairs, $900 million;
• Tribal infrastructure, $600 million;
• Native languages, $20 million;
• Combat domestic violence, $19 million.
That’s not all. There’s much more in the bill for all American families, including Native Americans…Ahéhee’ to my representatives in Congress who supported the American Rescue Plan: Democratic Rep.Tom O’Halleran and Democratic senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelley.” ~John G. Watts, Teec Nos Pos, Ariz.~
COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR NATIVE AMERICANS
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/Covid_Recovery
Apply for NCAI Relief Funding https://www.ncai.org/Covid-19/Get-Involved/apply-for-ncai-funding
Indian Health Services (IHS): COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution List: https://www.ihs.gov/coronavirus/vaccine/distribution/
Center for Disease and Control (CDC): COVID Data Tracker: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations
Indian Health Services (IHS): Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine: https://www.ihs.gov/coronavirus/vaccine/
