Manuel Lujan: “Since the beginning of this crisis, I have heard from Tribal leaders about the human tragedy of COVID-19 on the Navajo…”

“Since the beginning of this crisis, I have heard from Tribal leaders about the human tragedy of COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation: whole families ravaged by the disease, doctors overwhelmed by the surging cases, and insufficient Federal help. These leaders are sounding the alarm for a community in crisis, and I have been working to ensure the medical professionals who serve the Navajo Nation have every tool at their disposal to treat patients and protect themselves. But instead of doing right by the Navajo Nation, this administration, ProPublica found, awarded a $3 million contract for personal protective equipment to an 11-day-old company headed by a former White House staffer. As a result, the IHS received hundreds of thousands of masks that may be unsuitable for medical use. This lack of leadership endangers lives. That is why I am working with the New Mexico delegation and our colleagues from Arizona to hold the Trump administration accountable. The Navajo Nation deserves the full support of the Federal Government during this crisis and not to have this administration turn a blind eye while the Nation loses one more parent, grandparent, son, or daughter. This administration must act as an honest partner to the Navajo people, and I will fight to ensure that happens. ____________________”