Muscogee (Creek) National Council Sends Approved Legislation to Principal Chief David Hill

July 1, 2021,

Okmulgee, Oklahoma—

At the June 26th, 2021 Regular Session of the Muscogee (Creek) National Council, the legislative body approved NCA 21-077. In a vote of 14 in favor, none opposed, the act titled “NCA 21-077 A LAW OF THE MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (“ARPA”) FUNDS FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY TO ESTABLISH THE COVID-19 IMPACT RELIEF INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,” has been sent to Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief David Hill for approval.

The National Council, in Section One of the Act, made these findings:

• Acknowledgement of $424,351,068 in federal ARPA funds have been received by the Nation, based on membership of over 90,000 tribal citizens;
• Recognition that Mvskoke citizens and families are in need of direct assistance;
• That such assistance is an allowable expenditure of MCN ARPA funds, according to evolving US Treasury guidelines; and,
• That a Covid-19 Impact Relief Individual Assistance (CIRIA) program is necessary to address the negative economic effects of the pandemic experienced by its citizenry as a population.

Main features of the legislation, as detailed in Section Three, include:

• Approval of $2,000 direct assistance to all MCN citizens (there are no disqualifiers based on age, income, or residency);
• Authorization for the CIRIA program to process, approve and administer assistance payments; and,
• Authorization for the Executive branch to begin implementation of the CIRIA program within 120 days of final enactment of the law.

The National Council will continue to monitor the evolving situation regarding federal ARP fund distribution, including evaluation of the June 30, 2021 announcement, by the US Treasury Department, that it is prepared to begin phase 2 of the ARP distribution process.