Biden has made the largest investments in Indigenous communities in our history. We’re talking about billions of dollars going to projects in water and wastewater, health, food security, housing, clean power, public safety, and much more every year.
Here are just some of them:
Biden-Harris Administration Announces over $278 Million in Funding to Improve Water Infrastructure for Tribes and Alaska Native Villages
June 28, 2023 — Today, at an event with Lummi Nation in Bellingham, Washington, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox announced over $278 million in funding to improve access to safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater services for American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. Thanks to the boost from President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda, this year EPA is providing its largest investment ever of annual water infrastructure funding to Tribes.
The funding will help Tribes and Alaska Native Villages make significant investments in water infrastructure improvements to advance public health protections by improving compliance with existing water regulations, identifying and replacing lead service lines, and addressing harmful emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater, such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).
“For too long, Tribes have struggled without access to basic water services—impacting their health and economic well-being. Today’s funding announcement is a generational investment that moves us closer to achieving a future where all Tribes have access to safe drinking water and wastewater services,” said Radhika Fox. “Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to equitable investment in infrastructure through the Investing in America agenda, progress will be made for places that need it most, including Tribes that don’t currently have access to safe drinking water and wastewater services.”
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $20M for Indigenous Communities to Access Emerging Climate Markets
Feb. 14, 2024 — Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced today that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $20 million to support federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Native corporations and villages as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The funding, made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and distributed through competitive grants administered by the USDA Forest Service, will help recipients access emerging private markets for forest resilience, climate mitigation, water quality, carbon sequestration and more.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $72 Million from President’s Investing in America Agenda to Electrify Homes Across Indian Country with Clean Energy
March 5, 2024 — Today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced $72 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Tribal communities electrify homes. This investment from the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest ever investment in climate — is a critical step toward the goal of electrifying all homes in the United States with clean energy sources and advances the Biden-Harris administration’s work to reach a carbon pollution-free electricity sector by 2035.
This first round of funding from the Office of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Electrification Program will provide financial and technical assistance to 21 Tribes to connect homes to transmission and distribution that is powered by clean energy; provide electricity to unelectrified Tribal homes through zero-emissions energy systems; transition electrified Tribal homes to zero-emissions energy systems; and support associated home repairs and retrofitting necessary to install the zero-emissions energy systems. The program will also support clean energy workforce development opportunities in Indian Country.
“Every home deserves to have access to reliable, affordable electricity — and now, with historic investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re bringing much-needed resources to Indian Country to electrify homes with abundant clean energy sources,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “As we implement this new and innovative program, we will continue to support Tribal communities as they work to develop their electricity infrastructure and help meet our shared clean energy goals.”
President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Provides $16.5 Million to Support Tribes Impacted by Drought
Dec. 12, 2024 — The Department of the Interior today announced the availability of $16.5 million through the Bureau of Reclamation to expand access to clean, reliable water supplies for Tribes confronted by drought conditions that threaten Tribal homelands, food sources, and cultural resources. Two funding opportunities are now available through Reclamation’s Native American Affairs Program: a $12.5 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda — funded through the Inflation Reduction Act — and $4 million in annual funding for technical assistance and cooperative agreements.
Interior Department Announces $27 Million from President’s Investing in America Agenda for Tribal Dam Safety, Water Sanitation Projects
Dec. 19, 2024 — The Department of the Interior today announced a $27 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to protect Tribal communities by repairing and upgrading clean water systems and replacing failing dams.
The President’s Investing in America agenda — a key pillar of Bidenomics — is deploying record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitations systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, good paying jobs and economic development in every Tribal community. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law alone invests $13 billion directly to American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal communities throughout the United States, including $250 million over five years for Tribal dams and water projects.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1 Million to Support Climate Resilience In Remote Alaska Communities As Part of Investing In America Agenda
Feb. 21, 2024 — Today, the Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the availability of $1 million for multi-year funding opportunities that will be distributed through the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Indigenous Engagement Program to support remote Alaska communities. This investment — funded by the Inflation Reduction Act — will help NOAA Fisheries advance efforts to promote climate resilience and food security in remote Alaska communities, strengthen collaboration with tribal governments and Indigenous communities and engage Indigenous Knowledge holder voices in NOAA Fisheries science.
The Biden-Harris Administration has made historic investments in climate resilience and adaptation, including more than $50 billion from the President’s Investing in America agenda.
Biden’s Budget for 2024 Advances Health Equity for American Indians and Alaska Natives
March 9, 2023 — The Administration is addressing the historical underfunding of the Indian Health Service (IHS). Building on the advance appropriation, the Budget requests an additional $3 billion in 2024 for a total of $8.1 billion in discretionary resources. In addition, the Budget reclassifies contract support costs and leases as mandatory for a total of $9.4 billion in discretionary and mandatory resources for IHS in 2024.
Biden’s Budget Invests in Tribal Infrastructure and Affordable Housing
March 9, 2023 — Native Americans are seven times more likely to live in overcrowded conditions and five times more likely to have inadequate plumbing, kitchen, or heating systems than other U.S. households. The Budget provides over $1 billion to fund Tribal efforts to expand affordable housing, improve housing conditions and infrastructure, and increase economic opportunities for low-income families. Of this total, $150 million would prioritize activities that advance resilience and energy efficiency in housing-related projects.
The Budget also reflects a reduction in mortgage insurance fees for the Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program, which will save Native American borrowers over $500 on average in their first year and expand access to homeownership.
Biden’s Budget Supports Tribal Law Enforcement and Public Safety and Addresses the Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.
March 9, 2023 — For the Department of Justice, the Budget provides $4.9 billion in discretionary resources for State and local grants and $30 billion in mandatory resources to support State, local, and Tribal efforts to protect U.S. communities and promote public safety. This includes $537 million for the COPS Hiring Program discretionary topline, an increase of $213 million or 66 percent over the 2023 enacted level.
The Budget provides $717 million in Tribal Public Safety and Justice funding at DOI, an $86 million increase over the 2023 enacted level, to support pressing public safety needs in Indian Country, including continuing efforts to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.
Is there still more work to be done? 100%! Lots more work. But Biden did more than many people guessed could be done. He deserves a lot of credit. AND he deserves to be re-elected.
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These posts are written by Goodnewsroundup (Goodie),
edited by Matilda Briggs, and reinforced by several notable Kossacks!
As with all good things, it takes a village.
