PHOENIX – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema spoke with Seth Damon, Speaker of Navajo Nation Council, to discuss coronavirus relief efforts and resources the Navajo Nation needs to protect the health and safety of their community.
“The federal government must distribute coronavirus-relief funds for Tribal communities immediately, allow Tribal gaming operations to receive federal assistance, and secure additional funding to help Tribal communities fight the coronavirus and save lives,” said Sinema.
Sinema, along with a bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers, urged the administration to swiftly implement the bipartisan CARES Act law and ensure resources are deployed quickly to support Tribal communities in Arizona. Sinema also asked the administration to make a stronger effort in consulting with Tribal Nations in order to truly reduce the spread of coronavirus throughout Arizona. Following Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez’s request that the non-federal cost-share portion of the FEMA-Tribal Agreement be waived, Sinema urged the Director of FEMA to waive tribal governments’ portion of costs of FEMA’s coronavirus response efforts to protect the health and safety of tribal communities. Sinema is also working with her Senate colleagues and the Small Business Administration to fix the Paycheck Protection Program eligibility rules to allow Tribal gaming operations to access PPP funding.
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Sinema-shaped legislative package that included robust support of $10 billion in Tribal government services and programs, including $2 billion for the Indian Health Services, to ensure Native communities across Arizona get the health care and resources they need.
Sinema has a resources page on her website, www.sinema.senate.gov/corona, for Arizonans looking for updated information in English and Spanish on the coronavirus.
