$17M taken from Grant Reserve Fund balance to help the Navajo people
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – The 21st Navajo Nation Council convened recently for a special session at the Navajo Nation Council Chamber to approve Legislation No. 0691-07 by a vote of 50 – 15, which is the Navajo superfund law that was sponsored by Council Delegate George Arthur, T’iistoh Sikaad/San Juan/Nenanezad, and appropriated nearly $17.02 million from the Grant Reserve Fund balance to help the Navajo people.
Legislation No. 0112-08, sponsored by Council Delegate Young Jeff Tom, Mariano Lake/Smith Lake, amended the Navajo Nation fiscal year 2008 budget by approving supplemental appropriation in the amount of $17,015,000 from the Grant Reserve Fund balance. The legislation was approved 60 – 10 by the council.
The Department of Emergency Management is appropriated $1 million for emergency services due to the extreme snow and mud conditions within the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation Chapter Scholarship program will receive $3 million. The chapter housing program is appropriated $3 million, $8 million for Navajo Nation Chapter Veterans and $2.02 million for the Office of the Speaker.
The council waived sections of Navajo Nation Code and all other provisions of nation law in order to make these appropriations on behalf of the Navajo people.
Appropriations to all 110 Navajo chapters will be at an equal distribution of 50 percent and 50 percent to registered voters for scholarships, housing discretionary funds and veterans’ funds.
The Office of the Speaker’s appropriation of funds will be $15,000 per council delegate or chapter for a total of slightly more than $1.8 million for discretionary funds to help their constituents. The Office of the Speaker will also receive $200,000 for discretionary funds in a breakdown of $50,000 for burial assistance, $50,000 for emergency assistance, $50,000 for youth and education assistance, and $50,000 for other contributions.
Amos Johnson, Forest Lake, told the council that it is ”very important that they support this legislation, so that young Navajo people can get educated, return back to the nation and help their communities. Johnson also mentioned that many chapters have exhausted all their scholarship funds and the council should take the initiative to help them.
Ervin Keeswood Sr., Tse Daa Kaan, said that ”all these appropriations go directly to the Navajo people – they need these funds – it is their money and we cannot forget that.”
”We need to support this legislation,” Keeswood added. ”The federal government is not helping our constituencies like before. Scholarships are desperately needed and this is not a wild tangent to spend money. Discretionary money goes back to the people.”
Council Delegate Larry Anderson Sr., Fort Defiance, also conveyed his support for the appropriations and explained to the council that he was sent to the council by his constituents to ”bring home the bacon.” Anderson said that part of that bacon is money to assist with emergency situations, so that the council can help the Navajo elderly and children that are in need.
The legislation’s sponsor, Young Jeff Tom, thanked the council for approving these much-needed appropriations and said: ”The Navajo people will be thankful for the council actions. We have a lot of needs out there and our actions today show the Navajo people that their government is working hard for them.
”Our veterans, our students and our elderly rely on us to help them,” he continued. ”Most times we are their last resort for assistance and the council demonstrated that they are working for the people.”
The council has forwarded this legislation to Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan for his signature and the speaker will then forward the legislation to Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. to sign the legislation into law.
