For Immediate Release
March 6, 2021
Contact:
Manu Tupper or Mike Inacay (Schatz) at press@indian.senate.gov
SENATE PASSES LARGEST INVESTMENT IN NATIVE PROGRAMS IN HISTORY, MORE THAN $31 BILLION HEADING TO NATIVE COMMUNITIES
WASHINGTON – 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
Indian Health Service
$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
Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems
$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.
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