Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice to the chorus recognizing this important fact: tribal governments and Native American citizens are disproportionately impacted by this virus. And the reason they are so vulnerable is the historic failure of this country to live up to its trust and treaty obligations. Obligations like providing strong healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Mr. Speaker, the tribal set-aside within the Coronavirus Relief Fund is not nearly adequate to right these historic wrongs, but it will help make sure that tribal governments do not fall even further behind as a result of the pandemic. The Coronavirus Relief Fund is a lifeline for tribal governments. The Navajo Nation is experiencing one of the worst outbreaks in the entire Country, and Native Americans and Alaska Natives everywhere are more vulnerable to this disease due to chronic lack of health care and higher rates of pre-existing conditions. Additionally, tribal governments without large outbreaks are suffering disproportionate economic harm due to COVID-19 because they lack a tax base to replace lost revenue from shuttered businesses. When tribal governments made the decision to close their doors at tribal enterprises for the sake of public health, they also made the decision to shut off the revenue that supported vital government functions.…”