Posted on 11/17/2021 3:06:20 PM PST by devane617
Tribes welcomed an infusion of money in the massive infrastructure bill to expand broadband coverage, fix roads and address water and sanitation needs, but they say real change will come only with sustained investment.
President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion deal earlier this week that includes about $11 billion in benefits for Indian Country, according to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. About one-third of that, $3.5 billion, will go to the Indian Health Service, the federal agency tasked with providing healthcare for more than 2 million Native American and Alaska Natives.
The funding is enough to address more than 1,560 projects on the agency’s list of water and sanitation deficiencies in 12 regions, estimated to cost nearly $2.6 billion. Projects in Alaska and the Southwest region that covers the Navajo Nation — where many tribal members live without running water and indoor plumbing — collectively have the largest price tags.
“In these and several other tribal communities, sanitation and clean water systems would never be built because the annual appropriations were insufficient to cover all the deficiencies,” the National Indian Health Board said Wednesday.
Indian Health Service spokeswoman Jennifer Buschick said the agency will consult with tribes soon to determine how to allocate the funding.
Another $2.5 billion will go to fulfill tribal water rights settlements that already have been approved. The Interior Department hasn’t specified which agreements that quantify tribes’ rights to water are included. But the leaders of the Navajo Nation, which extends into parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe in eastern Arizona said they expect to benefit from the funding.
IHS(Indian health Services)
Tribes welcomed an infusion of money...but they want even more, of course. Gee, what a surprise.
Why drill on the rez when brandon will pony up plenty wampum.
https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R44148.pdf
water rights settlement
... but they say real change will come only with sustained investment in the tribal ruling families who will finally be able to step up their living style and take those long put off vacations, while their new houses are being built ; their personal bankers will greet them as they deplane with their new expensive cars and personally drive them to their finished upscale homes, while reciting their latest income figures from all their multi-million dollar investments.
Regular Tribal members will get the usual case of beer, bottle of whiskey, ounce of weed, and a pat on the head, when they recover from their latest binge, provided they haven’t already drowned in their own vomit.
How can the USA be giving money to a sovereign nation?
Time to give the “sovereign “ nation full independence.
These are the Assistant Democrats that made all of this possible
Dan Sullivan (R-AK) Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) Mike Crapo (R-ID) Roy Blunt (R-MO) Richard Burr (R-NC) Deb Fischer (R-NE) Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Rob Portman (R-OH) Thom Tillis (R-NC) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Jim Risch (R-ID) Chuck Grassley (R-IA) Bill Cassidy (R-LA) Kevin Cramer (R-ND) Roger Wicker (R-MS) Mitch McConnell (R-KY) John Hoeven (R-ND) Susan Collins (R-ME) Mitt Romney (R-UT)
Plus these Assistant Democrats in the House: Van Drew, Katko, Bacon, YoungAK, Upton, Kinzinger, SmithNJ, Fitzpatrick, Reed, Gabarino, GonzalezOH, McKinley.
The Democrats needed GOP help and they got it.
They need major investment, and frankly, we owe them a lot. Native Americans have been routinely cheated and screwed by the US government from inception all the way to the 1960’s, at least. Problem is, government —holes are corrupt and so are many tribal leaders. The opportunity for graft and outright theft is great. If the money can be used wisely I say they are welcome to it.
I still don’t understand why the Tribes should get so much special privileges. Why not simply dissolve their fancy status, and make them normal citizens like everyone else.?
“Why not simply dissolve their fancy status, and make them normal citizens like everyone else.?”
The ‘thinkers’ in the US Gov believe it’s better to supply them with money and a place to live so they can blow their minds on whisky and weed all day every day. Doesn’t that make sense?
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