By YVETTE TOWERSAP TUELL
Office of Public Affairs
FORT HALL — After several months of waiting, the U.S. Treasury finally provided distribution information to tribes on the $20 billion that Congress allocated to tribes for coronavirus relief, as a part of the American Rescue Plan Act.
Congress also provided $1 billion to be divided equally to all tribes. Treasury representatives said they are seeking to help strengthen tribal economies and recover from the multi-faceted impacts of COVID-19. Tribal governments should have the tools to make the necessary decisions on how to spend.
President Biden signed the new law on March 11, after which the Treasury conducted tribal consultation to learn of tribal concerns on the funds allocated to tribes. Tribes submitted their general preferences, including a preferred methodology of divvying up the funds, they asked for extended time to expend the funds, and to give individual tribes the flexibility to determine the use of the funds. From those tribal discussions, the Treasury developed an Interim Final Rule to guide tribes on the use of the funds. The Interim Final Rule is open for public comments on the Regulation.gov website for 60 days. https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/FRF-Interim-Final-Rule.pdf
The Treasury identified the Tribal Government Allocation Methodology, which specifies tribal payments will be split into two payments for the remaining $19 billion. Within that $19 billion, the first payment $12.35 billion (65%) will be parceled out based on tribal enrollment numbers. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes has already submitted enrollment numbers to the BIA, as required by the application. The deadline for the first payment is May 24. The second payment of $6.65 billion (35%) will be based on Tribal employment data, and the deadline for applying is June 7.
Once the Tribes apply for the first payment the Treasury will respond back to the Tribes on the amount and date of distribution. At this point we do not know the amount for either payment.
The Fort Hall Business Council has received all information, and are now reviewing the eligible uses for the funds. The American Rescue Plan Act requires the funds to be used for COVID-19 needs, but allows tribes to have broad flexibility to determine how best to use the funds. Congress intends the funds to help in the recovery from the COVID19 for public health, economic needs, building stronger neighborhoods and communities, educational disparities exacerbated by COVID-19, and promoting healthy childhood environments.