Tribes urge Treasury to disburse coronavirus relief funding
Source: Associated Press
Felicia Fonseca, Associated Press
Updated 12:10 am CDT, Wednesday, April 29, 2020
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Tribes urged the federal government to quickly disburse coronavirus relief funding after a judge handed them an early victory in a case centered on who is eligible for a share of the $8 billion allocated to tribes.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington D.C. ruled in favor of the tribes late Monday in their bid to keep Alaska Native corporations from getting any of the money — at least for now. The decision clears the U.S. Treasury Department to send payments to 574 federally recognized tribes to response to the coronavirus.
At least 18 tribes sued the Treasury Department, alleging that Congress intended the funding to go only to tribal governments. They said the corporations that own most of the Native land in Alaska don't fit within the definition of “Indian Tribe” in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act signed into law last month.
Mehta said the tribes easily showed they would suffer irreparable harm unless he limited the funding temporarily to tribal governments while he awaited more argument on the question of eligibility of Alaska Native corporations.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/business/article/Judge-sides-with-tribes-limits-distribution-of-15230480.php
= new reply since forum marked as read
