Tribal Governments Begin Investing Record Levels of Funding

Native American Law attorney James Meggesto was interviewed by Bond Buyer about how tribal government are using the $20 billion they received from the American Rescue Plan's State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Tribal Recovery Report shows tribes have planned or begun implementing more than 3,000 projects and services with the funds. Mr. Meggesto explained how the Biden Administration's approach to tribal affairs through funds like this one departs from previous administrations.

"Rather than like the old model of throwing money at a problem when various groups need something and just providing that funding on a one-off basis, I think what this has demonstrated is that by giving Tribes the resources necessary to manage these critical needs on the ground, whether it's infrastructure, or basic governmental services, they don't want a handout from the federal government, they want the ability to do it themselves because they can do it better and they can do it more efficiently," he said.

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