fbpx
 

WASHINGTON — FEMA sent a letter to tribal leaders on Feb. 26 to announce a virtual tribal consultation session set for Thursday, March 4 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. – EST to seek information on tribal policies set in place to assist burial expenses of tribal citizens who have died from Covid-19.

The consultation will allow tribal leaders to provide input on how to spend $2 billion allocated to FEMA to distribute to provide assistance for funeral expenses from Covid-19 related deaths. It was not clear how much of the $2 billion will ultimately be provided to tribal nations. 

The $2 billion became available to FEMA from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 passed by Congress in Dec. 2020 and then signed into law by the president.

The law provides FEMA with an unprecedented $2 billion to reimburse individuals and households for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred between January 20, 2020 and December 31, 2020 at 100% federal cost-share. FEMA would like to hear tribal concerns on the process to support the delivery of funeral assistance.

During the tribal consultation session, Recovery Directorate staff will provide a brief overview of:

FEMA funeral assistance,

the key provisions of the proposed interim policy, and

the simplified delivery processes and procedures being advocated to reduce the administrative burden on eligible applicants

Registration: Please register in advance for the session, via Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the session.

Written Comments: Questions and written comments may be directed to the Individual Assistance Division by email at [email protected] or through FEMA Regional Tribal Liaisons until March 15, 2021. Contact information for FEMA Tribal Liaisons may be found at www.fema.gov/about/contact.

More Stories Like This

Navajo Nation Mourns Loss of Former President Ben Shelly
Native American Church Chapter Sues Bank for Racial and Religious Discrimination
Legislature Moves to Name Highway after Blackfeet Chief
UP CLOSE: With Chuck Sams, First Native American to Lead the National Park Service
Native News Weekly (March 19, 2023): D.C. Briefs

12 years of Native News

This month, we celebrate our 12th year of delivering Native News to readers throughout Indian Country and beyond. For the past dozen years, we’ve covered the most important news stories that are usually overlooked by other media. From the protests at Standing Rock and the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), to the ongoing epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) and the past-due reckoning related to assimilation, cultural genocide and Indian Boarding Schools.

Our news is free for everyone to read, but it is not free to produce. That’s why we’re asking you to make a donation this month to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and to tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.

Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you. 

About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected]