"While some state leaders have been dismayed that they would accept money from the federal government’s economic stimulus plan, that message has not come from South Dakota’s American Indian tribes. Those nine tribes are slated to get part of $3 billion set aside in the $787 billion stimulus package for Indian reservations.

Rather than worry about the amount of spending, tribal leaders appear to be more worried about getting the money in a timely fashion given some of the bureaucratic gauntlets the money must run. I tried to get in touch with a few of South Dakota’s tribal chairmen this past week, with no luck.

Here is a breakdown of how money is allocated to tribes in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

Health Care

- $415 million for facilities, including $20 million for medical equipment, $227 million for new construction, $100 million to care for and improve existing facilities and $68 million for sanitation facilities.

- $85 million for telehealth services and infrastructure distributed via Indian Health Service.

Housing

- $40 million, distributed via the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Office of Indian Programs, for workforce development / training on housing improvement.

- $510 million, distributed via Housing and Urban Development block grants, to rehabilitate and improve energy efficiency of tribal housing. Half of this money will be distributed through a formula and half will go to projects that can start quickly through a competitive process."

Get the Story:
Denise Ross: Tribes cast eye at stimulus funds (The Mitchell Daily Republic 3/21)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
H.R.1 | S.1

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