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COVID-19 Relief Package Includes $8 Billion For Tribal Assistance

USGS

The sweeping COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress and signed today by President Trump includes $8 billion for tribes to combat the disease. It comes as known cases on tribal nations in Arizona have grown. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports.

A quarter of the relief dollars will provide emergency supplemental funding for tribal governments, communities and urban Indian health programs. About a $1 billion will go to the Indian Health Service and the Bureau of Indian Education will receive nearly $70 million.

According to the Navajo Nation Council, the funds will allow federal agencies to better administer tribal safety and other programs.

New Mexico Democratic Senator Tom Udall advocated for the tribal provisions in the $2-trillion package, and says the funds will be crucial for economic recovery and continuation of essential services on reservations.

The National Congress of American Indians says the COVID-19 outbreak presents a unique threat to tribal communities. Native Americans suffer from high rates of heart and lung disease, among other conditions, as well as overcrowded housing on tribal lands.

Ryan Heinsius joined KNAU's newsroom as an executive producer in 2013 and became news director and managing editor in 2024. As a reporter, he has covered a broad range of stories from local, state and tribal politics to education, economy, energy and public lands issues, and frequently interviews internationally known and regional musicians. Ryan is an Edward R. Murrow Award winner and a Public Media Journalists Association Award winner, and a frequent contributor to NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and national newscast.
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