WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema hosted a virtual roundtable discussion with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona to discuss the historic investments her bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law makes in expanding jobs and opportunities in tribal communities across Arizona.
“Tribal communities across Arizona will directly benefit from our bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law—which makes historic investments in jobs and economic opportunities through projects repairing roads and bridges, expanding broadband access, upgrading electrical grids, and strengthening and securing water systems,” said Sinema.
“Tribes in Arizona look forward to working with Senator Sinema toward the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) legislation,” says Shan Lewis, Vice Chairman, Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and President of the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona (ITAA). “Tribes must have a prominent voice in implementing the infrastructure funding in order to address needed improvements for tribal roads & bridges, energy development, clean drinking water, housing, broadband and many other structures and facilities.”
The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona consists of 21 member Tribes and was established to provide a united voice for tribal governments located in the State of Arizona to address common issues of concerns. During the roundtable discussion, Sinema discussed specific tribal infrastructure and jobs funding she secured in her bipartisan law, and answered questions about funding implementation.
Tribal communities in Arizona will directly benefit from Sinema’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Law, with significant investments in critical transportation and water infrastructure, broadband deployment, and security programs — creating jobs and expanding economic opportunity while respecting tribal sovereignty. Specifically, the law provides $3.5 billion for Tribal water and sanitation infrastructure and resiliency, $2 billion to expand high-speed broadband in Tribal communities, and $2.5 billion in funding to complete all currently-authorized Indian Water Rights Settlements — including building out the infrastructure needed for the Southern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement with the Tohono O’odham Nation, completing the Gila River Indian Community Water Rights Settlement, and funding the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s Water Rights Settlement.
Click HERE to learn more about how the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impacts Tribal communities.
