The recent national stimulus package, H.R. 748,includes provisions for American Indian nations. According to a report from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in the Char-Koosta News:
“Over the past several weeks, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), tribal nations, partner organizations, and tribal advocates worked tirelessly to develop Indian Country's top policy priorities for addressing COVID-19 and push Congress to include these priorities in its stimulus package. The final legislation features strong provisions in support of these priorities and will help tribal communities across Indian Country as they respond to the pandemic.”
Kevin J. Allis, NCAI’s CEO, stated:
“Indian Country achieved this victory through the around-the-clock efforts of tribal leaders and advocates across the nation working as one to ensure that the needs of tribal governments and communities are addressed in the weeks and months to come. Unity is our greatest asset.”
Among other other provisions, the bill provides a little more than a billion dollars for the Indian Health Services (IHS). This includes $450 million which will be distributed through IHS directly-operated programs and to tribal nations and tribal organizations under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. It will alsobe distributed through contracts with or grants to urban Indian organizations under Title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
Also included is additional funding for substance abuse and mental health programs, diabetes programs, and tribal domestic violence shelters. It also provides for an extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program.
During the Termination Era in which the United States was attempting to get rid of Indian reservations, Indian health treatment was transferred from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to the Public Health Service (PHS) in 1954. This was done in part because of the anticipation (and hope) by many that there would soon be no reservations and no BIA. There were some at this time who felt that the PHS would be able to provide better care because it had more resources and political clout.
Beginning in 1975, under the provision of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, tribes were allowed to begin to administer services which had previously been administered by the BIA and the PHS.
Navajo Nation
On Tuesday, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez indicated that the United States government was ignoring Indian people by failing to deliver enough much-needed resources to help fight the coronavirus. Nez said:
“We feel that the United States government once again has ignored or even left out the first residents, the first people, the first citizens of this country: Indigenous people.”
As of Tuesday, there have been at least 148 confirmed cases of the virus in the Navajo Nation and at least five deaths.
President Trump’s response:
“Boy, that’s too bad for the Navajo Nation ―I’ve been hearing that.”