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MEMORIALIZING THE INTENT OF THE TRIBAL PORTION OF THE CORONAVIRUS
RELIEF FUND IN THE CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT
(CARES ACT)
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HON. RAUL RUIZ
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, March 26, 2021
Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight a critical portion of the American Rescue Plan that will help native communities across our country mitigate and recover from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
I am proud to have helped lead the fight to secure the $20 billion Coronavirus Recovery Fund for Tribal Governments. It is essential that this fund is implemented swiftly and equitably by the Treasury Department as intended by Congress and following meaningful Tribal consultation.
Nearly a year ago, Tribal governments across the country, recognizing the imminent public health threat, voluntarily closed their business and government operations to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Many Tribal businesses in California's 36th District and throughout the State remained closed for months. It was this sacrifice, and the sacrifice that millions of Americans made to shelter in place and minimize social gatherings, that prevented this pandemic from claiming hundreds of thousands more lives.
For Tribal governments, the implications of the economic shutdown are hard to understate. In addition to supporting the workers they employ and meeting basic commercial obligations, Tribal governments rely on the revenue generated by their businesses to provide health care, education, emergency services, housing, security, sanitation, and more for their members. Tribal governments, unlike state and county governments, do not have a tax base to raise revenue. Shutting down their businesses meant losing the revenue that supports essential government services.
That is why the Coronavirus Recovery Fund for Tribal governments in the American Rescue Plan is so important. It is also important to address several issues and lessons learned from the distribution of these funds following the passage of the CARES Act.
First, Treasury should allow Tribal governments to certify their population counts. In the CARES Act allocation, some Tribes were improperly listed as having zero population, while many more were severely undercounted based on their historical participation in Indian housing programs. This flawed policy resulted in some Tribes losing out on significant funding and it must be fixed in the implementation of the American Rescue Plan.
Second, it is critical that Tribal governments be given maximum flexibility in determining how they use funding provided to them from the Coronavirus Recovery Fund. Whether it is replacing lost revenue, making necessary capital investments, or providing health coverage to members, it should be up to the Tribal governments to evaluate and determine the best use of this funding. This flexibility should also recognize the unique nature and function of Tribal governments as opposed to state or municipal governments.
Lastly, I encourage Treasury to adopt a more equitable formula that better takes into account the disparate economic impacts that COVlD-19 related shutdowns have had on Tribal governments and employees. In the implementation of the CARES Act many in my district were still left facing severe budget cuts. A formula that includes a proper weight towards economic factors would help address this issue, while also providing aid to those Tribes who were more economically injured by the pandemic.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 57
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