Obama issues disaster declaration for Navajo Nation in Arizona

Wednesday, March 6, 2013  

President Barack Obama issued a disaster declaration for the Navajo Nation on Friday, the first of its kind under a new law that recognizes tribes sovereignty.

The declaration opens the tribe to funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Portions of the reservation in Arizona suffered through a harsh winter from December 2012 to January 2013.

“I thank President Obama for making federal aid available to the Navajo Nation,” President Ben Shelly said in a press release.

Get the Story:
Obama Issues Disaster Declaration For Navajo Nation (AP 3/6)
Disaster declaration for Navajo Nation marks shift in tribal-federal relations (Cronkite News 3/5)

Eastern Cherokees get first disaster declaration under new law (3/4)
USET: Tribes get a seat at the table with disaster declarations (02/07)
Tribes hail passage of bill with disaster declaration provision (02/01)
Congress passes bill with tribal disaster declaration section (1/29)