Sequestration forces tribes to make budget cuts to programs

Thursday, August 22, 2013  

Sequestration of the federal budget is forcing cuts to education, health and social service programs in Indian Country.

The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska eliminated spots for 30 children at its Head Start program due to sequestration. Three employees were let go.

"We had our budget cut 5.275%, we had to make up for that lack of funding somehow, otherwise our program was not going to be able to survive," director Julie Prusa told KCAU-TV.

Erma Vizenor, the chairwoman of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota, told The St. Paul Pioneer Press that sequestration was "devastating" for the reservation. More than half of the tribe's budget comes from federal sources, she said.

Get the Story:
Budget Cuts Hurt Omaha Tribe Early Head Start Program (KCAU-TV 8/20)
Sequestration's second round to cut funding for Head Start, tribes and aging programs (The St. Paul Pioneer Press 8/21)