The delay in disbursing the money "is unnecessary and works against the federal government’s trust responsibility," House Democrats told Treasury.
Tribal governments were supposed to get $8 billion in direct emergency relief from the CARES Act, the $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill that became law on March 27.
More than a month later, they haven’t gotten any of it.
Part of the reason is that the Treasury Department, which is charged with distributing that money, has been flailing in its dealings with tribes.
Another reason stems from a lawsuit over whether Alaska Native Corporations are entitled to the money. A federal court on Monday agreed to stop funds from going to those corporations for now, which means Treasury has no reason to not funnel money immediately to the 574 federally recognized tribal governments struggling with the public health and economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
In a Wednesday letter, House Democrats pressed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to distribute the money now because lives are at stake.
“As you are aware, the detrimental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have had a disproportionate health care and economic impact on federally recognized tribes due a chronic lack of essential resources,” reads the letter signed by Democratic lawmakers including Deb Haaland of New Mexico, co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus; Ruben Gallego of Arizona, chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the U.S.; Raul Grijalva of Arizona, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee; and Assistant House Speaker Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico.
“We respectfully request the Treasury Department immediately begin to disburse the $8 billion of Coronavirus Relief Funds to eligible federally recognized tribal governments … in recognition of the negative impact that every day of delay has on Tribes.”
A request for comment from the Treasury Department was not returned on why it’s taken so long to get this money to tribes and when it expects to distribute it.
Tribal communities are among the most vulnerable to a rapid and devastating spread of the coronavirus. They face some of the highest rates of health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and asthma, all of which leave them more susceptible to the virus. They are often in remote parts of the country, where it’s tough to quickly disseminate resources and where families live in small homes shared with elderly family members who are particularly at risk. And the Indian Health Service, which provides health care to nearly 3 million Native Americans, is already notoriously and chronically underfunded.
Put those pieces together and add to the situation that tribal governments still haven’t gotten their fair share of federal relief, and it’s not hard to imagine how quickly this could become a disaster.
What sage is okay for non-Indigenous people to use?
Really simple answer: if it’s Indigenous only to the Americas, leave it alone.
There are tons of types of sage from other continents that are available in large supply AND have relevance in non-Indigenous cultures. Use those! Grow them in your garden or buy them in stores, they’re easy to find! Find out how they were/are used in your culture and use them that way!
Please DON’T go out and pick sage off the ground. Overharvesting can kill these sacred medicines, and they are already threatened by farmland/deforestation/roads/industrialization.
Since a lot of you don’t know how to act here are a few basic rules for Powwows
- DONT MOVE ANY LAID OUT BLANKETS. That seat is saved, likely for an elder or the family of one of the dancers
-STOP TAKING PICTURES OF OUR REGALIA W/O ASKING.
And don’t get mad or pushy if you are told no.
-DONT JOIN THE DANCING UNLESS YOU ARE ASKED TOO OR IT IS ANNOUNCED AS AN OPEN DANCE. AND DONT DO THAT WEIRD WHITE HIPPY DANCE BULLSHIT.
You know what it looks like
We are making fun of you, and you deserve it. Learn the damn shuffle, it’s just a two-step
-NEVER, I REPEAT NEVER FUCKING TOUCH OUR REGALIA, LET ALONE PICK IT UP.
It’s literally common courtesy and sense
- IF YOU GO TO THE MEAL SERVED AT POWWOW, YOU EAT LAST.
Children, Elders, Vets, and Mothers go first, young able-bodied people after that, if you want to be known as polite and are an outsider you should as close to last as possible and not cry about it.
-LASTLY, DO NOT ASK TO ATTEND CLOSED CEREMONY
You are either invited or not, our cultures are not for consumption i don’t care if you paid for a ticket, dont walk into somebody’s lodge or tipi for even so much as a smudging unless someone asks. Those are our sacred spaces our ancestral homes that we no longer have access to regularly, except in these spaces. This shit isn’s about you.
Yo so I’ve spent the entirety of this past year trying to reconnect to my chichimeca roots and learn more but there’s hardly anything that isn’t 400 years old and not written by Spanish colonizers so if anyone knows any good resources or just anyone that can help me it would mean the world ❤️❤️❤️
today is the anniversary of the Wounded Knee Massacre (Dec 29, 1890). The United States in cold blood murdered Lakota men, women, and children. Slaughtered them and have the nerve to call it a “battle” as if there was any fighting done in return.
Today native people still struggle against the effects of cultural and physical genocide. Our voices are often smothered by others but we are still strong. And we never forget.
The Truth About the Wounded Knee Massacre (IndianCountryToday)
Lakota accounts of the Massacre at Wounded Knee (PBS)
There are also many native people posting memorials and thoughts on Twitter.
Hello everyone, I am making a shawl for a project to honor, bring awarenes, and name the MMIW of our nations. For every piece of fringe that I sew onto the shawl, I would like to put a name on it. If there is a name you would like for me to add, please comment or message me. Mvto
What I have left for sale and I’m still taking medallion orders. I need 5 more orders and I can pay my rent this weekend. Medallion orders are $100 with necklace or $65 without necklace. Can do any image you want. Still needing at least 5 more orders to make my rent. Still short $500 and need it paid by midnight or tomorrow morning at latest.
Here’s a link to the other post I have on all this if you want to read it http://mahtheyzhawey.tumblr.com/post/177608498543/everything-i-have-for-sale-im-also-taking
If you just want to help and not purchase anything my PayPal is [email protected] and my cash app is $kiagbear my kids and I appreciate anything to help. Thank you.
Still short and I’m hoping to try and get it paid before end of tomorrow since it’s a holiday. I mean I haven’t even been able to unpack since we’ve only lived here for like a week but all my money got used getting us in here and paying deposits. I’m in a really bad situation and don’t have any family to ask for help. Just want to be able to keep my kids in one spot. We didn’t move because we wanted to, we were forced out by the people who bought our building. So I didn’t choose this, I’m just trying to make it through a really crap situation that was dumped on me. So hoping for a miracle in all this. Could really use one.
I am taking medallion orders. I have 6 slots open. The pic above shows examples of some I have done.
I will do any image you want along with the necklace for $100. Must pay upfront to place order and orders will be made in order they are placed. Message me if interested.
Needing this to be able to pay my rent this week because my job didn’t send enough work for me to cover my bills this month. I take pics of foreclosures for insurance companies and banks and it’s been slow.
So if you want an awesome piece of beadwork shoot me a message 😊
Still taking orders. 6 slots open. Also still taking donations if you’d rather do that. I have to pay rent by Monday and my phone will probably be shut off today. Trying to remain calm :)
hey since its indigenous history month lets keep our black mixed siblings in our thoughts and remember that this is their month too. i dont wanna see any antiblack sentiments coming from my fellow natives and that includes not using #nativelivesmatter (or co-opting any movement meant for black people) or blaming black people for having more visibility when white people ignore our movements. they fought for their movements and we need to address the antiblackness in our community that has been there historically. remember the slavery we put them through and remember black natives being denied enrollment by antiblack policies in many tribes today. our histories and cultures are beautiful and compelling but if you wont let white people forget their transgressions against us, dont let yourself forget the transgressions we as a community have committed against black people.
please reblog this! white people can reblog too but only for ur native/black followers to see i dont want you joining in on this discussion as its about intracommunity issues
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