The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE NAVAJO NATION AND THE CORONAVIRUS” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H2287-H2288 on May 27, 2020.
The Department oversees more than 500 million acres of land. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the department has contributed to a growing water crisis and holds many lands which could be better managed.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE NAVAJO NATION AND THE CORONAVIRUS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. O'Halleran) for 5 minutes.
Mr. O'HALLERAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues in Washington--and all watching at home--the dire situation COVID-19 has created in the Navajo Nation and across our Nation.
But first, standing in this Chamber today, I want to recognize the nearly 100,000 lives lost thus far to the coronavirus, a staggering number that has affected families, communities, economy, frontline first responders, and many others.
Though some Americans may feel they have reached a new normal, hot spots across our Nation are still in the thick of this pandemic, and the fear for what might come in the fall and winter is at the forefront of our thoughts.
One of those hot spots is the Navajo Nation. Per capita, the Navajo Nation has more confirmed coronavirus cases than any U.S. State. Under the CARES Act, signed into law March 27, my colleagues and I fought to include $8 billion for Tribal governments to use for expenses incurred during the pandemic.
The first round of that funding did not reach the Navajo Nation until May 5. Much of the delay was because officials within the Department of the Interior were considering allocating a portion of this $8 billion to the Alaska Natives Corporation, a group of for-profit entities that generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and answer to individual stakeholders.
I immediately joined the voices of Tribes across our Nation in demanding that these funds reach established Tribal governments, not corporations.
On April 27, a U.S. district judge announced that the Treasury Department could begin distributing money to federally-recognized Tribes, and not to this corporate group. Delayed funding is not the only issue here. While Tribes wait for the rest of the CARES Act money they were promised, politics in Washington continue to complicate already acute public health concerns on Navajo.
Recent reports indicate that respirator masks sent to Navajo Nation hospitals through a Federal contract with a former White House staffer may be faulty. I have serious concerns about the lack of oversight and accountability in this contract-awarding process, considering that this
$3 million deal was awarded to a friend of the administration with no prior Federal contracting experience, who had only been in business for 11 days.
It is unacceptable for government to be delivering anything other than what is needed to any community, much less a hard-hit community like Navajo.
I have asked my colleagues here to help me launch an immediate investigation into the potentially faulty PPE, and to make sure that the entire contracting process receives more oversight.
While Tribes deal with the fallout politics has caused, they endure other factors that have complicated this pandemic as well. Critical water, sanitation, and broadband projects throughout the Navajo Nation remain unfunded and firmly on Congress' back burner.
Since coming to Washington in 2017, I have tried to raise the alarm about these long-overlooked issues. I have worked with Tribal governments, shareholders in my district, and my colleagues here on Capitol Hill to find solutions to the problems faced by Indian Country.
This public health crisis continues to shine a brighter light on the hurdles that many Tribal families face every day, not just during a global pandemic. I hope I can count on the many who have joined me in speaking up for Tribal communities to continue to do so after this crisis because lives are at stake here.
Tribal communities are tired of partisan games and political spin. They need the resources they were promised so each sovereign Nation can care for their people.
The Dine people are resilient and they will win this fight.
In a report yesterday from my friend and Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, he noted that the Navajo Nation's own aggressive public health measures have helped flatten the curve of COVID-19 significantly.
The situation could have been much worse without his leadership, and the region remains at a high risk if the Federal Government does not step up and do its part.
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