Tribe receives $600 million in CARES funding

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- Legislation to lay the groundwork for the Navajo Nation’s expenditure of more than $600 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding was introduced into the Navajo Nation Council’s legislative process May 7.

Legislation No. 0115-20 creates the legal framework that restricts any use of the federal funding given to the Navajo Nation for COVID-19 relief efforts to only those activities that are allowed under the CARES Act. The proposed Navajo Nation CARES Fund Act and the expedited procurement rules and procedures are not final until the Navajo Nation Council approves Legislation No. 0115-20 and the Navajo Nation President signs it into law.

On March 25, Congress passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, which includes $8 billion to help tribes fight the coronavirus.

The legislation is currently open for a five day public comment period and will become eligible for action by the Budget and Finance and Law and Order Committees of the Navajo Nation Council May 13.

The two committees and the 24-member Naabik’íyáti’ Committee will consider the Navajo Nation CARES Fund Act legislation before it is considered by the full Navajo Nation Council.

The committees will consider the legislation and can act to recommend amendments, or changes, to the text of the legislation. Under the proposed Navajo Nation CARES Fund Act, organizations, Navajo Nation programs, Chapters and related entities may develop coronavirus-related projects and expenditure plans for CARES funding, if the legislation is approved. Those proposed expenditure plans will be considered as attachments to future legislation and will become part of the public record.

Public comment on topics and legislation under consideration by the Navajo Nation Council may be submitted in written form to: • Email: comments@navajo-nsn.gov; or • Regular mail: Executive Director, Office of Legislative Services, P.O. Box 3390, Window Rock, AZ 86515. Comments may be: • Chapter resolutions; • Letters; • Position papers; • Written statement in the body of an email. Comments must include: 1. Your name; 2. Title or position (if commenting as part of an organization or entity); 3. Mailing address (for written comments); 4. Valid email address (for emailed comments). Anonymous comments will not be included in the legislation packet. Comments on social media posts are not considered as part of the legislative process unless submitted through the above methods. The full text of Legislation No. 0115-20 can be found on the Navajo Nation Council’s website at the URL: http://www.navajonationcouncil.org/legislation.html.