Legislation and Federal Policy

Help Identify Legislative Priorities for Future Emergency Response Packages

USET Member Tribal Nations: To include any specific items or priorities in USET’s legislative efforts regarding COVID-19 response and relief efforts, please email Liz Malerba.

COVID-19 Assistance Available to Individuals

While the various coronavirus relief aid packages enacted by Congress each contain relief and recovery funds and programs designed to be administered by Tribal Nations, there are also a variety of assistance programs administered by the federal and state governments available to our citizens on an individual basis. We know that many USET SPF Member Tribal Nations seek to assist their citizens in identifying and navigating all available benefits and relief. With this in mind, USET SPF provides a summary (updated 10/19/21) of currently available COVID-19 relief and recovery resources for individuals and families. We will offer periodic updates to this list as further information becomes available.

  • 5/18/2022: Today, the White House released a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law technical assistance guide to help state, local, Tribal and territorial governments navigate, access, and deploy infrastructure resources that will build a better America. This guide, building on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Guidebook and Rural Playbook, highlights programs that help communities navigate programs and resources that can help them deliver infrastructure projects.  While some of these programs offer hands-on and intensive planning and delivery support for communities, others are more self-directed resources and tools such as webinars and websites, or funding that can support project planning.

 

  • 3/29/2022: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has finalized and issued a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for COVID-19 relief payments by Tribal Governments made to individual Tribal citizens. These include COVID-19 relief payments authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-136), the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (P.L. 116-260), and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2). This FAQ document provides general information on the tax treatment and required reporting for COVID-19 relief payments by Tribal governments to individual Tribal citizens and their dependents.

COVID-19 Legislation and Federal Policy

American Rescue Plan: Recent Tribal Advocacy and Information

 

American Rescue Plan Implementation
  • Treasury resources for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CFRF) in the American Rescue Plan:

 

American Rescue Plan Resources

H.R. 133 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

Status: Enacted. Signed by the President on 12/27/20
To read the full legislative text of the entire year-end package click here
For a section-by-section on the stimulus package, click here

 

4th Package Implementation

To ensure Tribal Nations have direct access to the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program
Status: Introduced in Senate and House

To Guarantee Tribal Health Authorities Access to the Strategic National Stockpile
Status: Introduced in Senate

Status: Signed into law on 4/24/20

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
Status: Signed into law on 3/27/20

 

CARES Act: Executive Branch Implementation

Treasury’s Coronavirus Relief Fund websiteguidance (published 1/15/21), and FAQs (updated 3/2/21)
– 10/21: NAFOA letter requesting clarity on 10/19 CRF FAQs
– 11/20: Treasury’s response to NAFOA

 

CARES Act: Tribal Implementation Advocacy

Status: Signed into law on 3/18/20

(includes $40M Indian country specific component)
Status: Signed into law 3/6/20

Funding Distribution Status: 3/20 HHS announces upcoming action to provide funding to tribes for COVID-19 response