[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 63 (Tuesday, March 31, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019

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                               speech of

                             HON. TOM COLE

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 27, 2020

  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, a key part of the relief package was the 
tribal government stabilization fund. This fund would be used by tribal 
governments to offset the dramatic losses they are facing at this time. 
This funding would be used to help them continue to do the right thing 
and keep their employees on the job--paid, and supported--as our nation 
responds to, and recovers from the pandemic.
  Title VI, Sec. 601(c)(7) provides $8,000,000,000 in relief to tribal 
governments for losses of revenues and increased expenditures 
associated with COVID-19. The bill provides:

       [T]he amount paid under this section for fiscal year 2020 
     to a Tribal government shall be the amount the Secretary 
     shall determine, in consultation with the Secretary of the 
     Interior and Indian Tribes, that is based on increased 
     expenditures of each such Tribal government (or a tribally-
     owned entity of such Tribal government) relative to aggregate 
     expenditures in fiscal year 2019 by the Tribal government (or 
     tribally-owned entity) and determined in such manner as the 
     Secretary determines appropriate to ensure that all amounts 
     available under subsection (a)(2)(B) for fiscal year 2020 are 
     distributed to Tribal governments.

  Tribal governments or tribally-owned entities can demonstrate 
``increased expenditures'' relative to 2019 by listing expenditures 
associated with the closure or diminished operation of business and 
government facilities, including payments made to employees or other 
entities while businesses or government operations are closed or 
operating in a limited capacity, as well as the difference in revenues 
transferred to tribal government accounts in 2020 versus the same 
period in 2019.

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