[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 100 (Thursday, May 28, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ADVOCATING FOR CRITICAL FUNDING FOR TRIBAL NATIONS IN THE HEROES ACT

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                             HON. RAUL RUIZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 28, 2020

  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Heroes Act 
and to address the critical need for emergency funding for tribal 
nations.
  Native Americans have been hit disproportionately hard by the COVID-
19 pandemic. The Navajo Nation has experienced nearly 5,000 positive 
cases and the loss of more than 100 lives. In addition, the Colorado 
River Indians Tribes on the border of my district and Arizona have seen 
a sudden rise in cases over the past weeks.
  Native Americans remain at particular risk because they face greater 
health disparities and have higher rates of underlying health 
conditions than the general population. In addition, those living on 
rural reservations have reduced access to health services and 
preventative care.
  The toll on tribal nations isn't just affecting those who are sick. 
Many Native Americans work in service jobs that have disproportionately 
been lost, and many tribal governments rely on income from business 
enterprises that have closed their doors to comply with stay-at-home 
orders.
  The Heroes Act was written with these communities in mind.
  This bill represents the House of Representatives' commitment to 
fulfilling the trust and treaty responsibility of the United States 
government to tribal nations across the United States.
  The Heroes Act provides an additional $20 billion to tribal 
governments in the form of grants to help address the catastrophic 
impact of this virus and the economic toll it has taken on Indian 
Country and their surrounding communities.
  The Heroes Act expands the use of the funds provided by the CARES Act 
to account for lost revenue, which is critical to providing effective 
relief for tribal governments.
  It is important to note that unlike the portion of the Coronavirus 
Relief Fund provided to states and local governments, the fund for 
tribal governments explicitly does not prescribe a population-based 
formula for distribution to tribes. Such a formula would be 
inappropriate given that population is not a proper measure of economic 
impact that a tribal government and tribally-run businesses have 
experienced.
  This bill also does not codify the current Indian Housing Block Grant 
formula that the Department of Treasury is using, because such a 
formula is not representative of the intent of the program.
  It is the intent of Congress that the Department of Treasury works 
with the Department of Interior and tribal governments to develop a new 
formula that accounts for the tribes' aggregate expenditures and the 
total economic hit they have taken as a result of this pandemic.
  This is an issue that is critical for Indian Country. I am proud to 
have voted for the Heroes Act and look forward to seeing the program 
implemented as Congress intended to support tribal governments.

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