Guest Column | ARPA money needed as construction season approaches

By Jonathan Nez

On May 21, 2021, the Navajo Nation received the initial allocation of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, which was approved by Congress and signed by President Biden, to help mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. A second allocation increased the total amount to over $2 billion for the Navajo Nation.

On Jan. 4, we signed into law a resolution approving ARPA Hardship Assistance funds that are now being distributed directly to the Navajo people – $2,000 per adult and $600 per child.

A previous resolution also provided for defunded CARES Act projects that were not completed by the December 2021 deadline to be reinvested using ARPA funds and for the reimbursement of Navajo Nation dollars that were previously appropriated for COVID-19 related purposes.

Currently, there is over $1 billion in ARPA funds remaining.

With the support of the Navajo Nation Council, the Fiscal Recovery Fund was created to hold the funds, and an FRF office was established to serve as a clearinghouse for ARPA-related activities including projects.

Our administration appointed Mr. Tom Platero to oversee the FRF office, which is now in operation and ready to do the work that they are tasked with.

Our administration has worked closely with the legislative branch for several months to develop the legislation (No. 0257-21), which would allocate funding for water, electricity, broadband, and housing projects for our communities within the Navajo Nation.

Council began holding work sessions to hear from chapters, former leaders, enterprises, and others regarding the use of ARPA funds. Dozens of work sessions were hosted by the Council’s standing committees. Our administration also went to communities and met with chapters and Council delegates to hear their priorities for ARPA funds.

It’s been one year now since Congress and U.S. President Joe Biden approved the ARPA funds. The legislation for water, electricity, broadband, and housing funds was tabled on Jan. 20 pending a work session, which took place on March 3.

If the legislation is tabled one more time or fails to be approved by March 20, it is automatically terminated in accordance with the Council’s policies. Time is of the essence.

We need the Council’s support of the bill to move the funds through the Nation’s internal processes to make them available to the responsible entities to begin purchasing materials, hire personnel, and to meet all of the prerequisites to begin constructing projects to deliver more water, electricity, broadband, and housing for our Navajo people.

Construction season is around the corner and we are far behind schedule. Aside from the construction season approaching, the federal government requires the ARPA funds to be used by the end of 2024.

Time is of the essence. We cannot afford to let the clock keep ticking without taking action to approve the remaining funds.

Our Navajo people are counting on us, as their elected leaders, to move forward. Our people are in great need of these life-changing and life-enhancing improvements.

Our administration also encourages our Navajo people to talk or reach out to their Council delegates to approve the infrastructure projects within their communities. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform our communities and to create a stronger foundation for our Navajo relatives to move home one day, most importantly, for our future generations.

Our administration worked with the legislative branch and put forth a revised proposal during the March 3 work session, that outlined funding based on the 24 regions represented by the 24 members of the Council.

We understand that several delegates want the $1 billion distributed equally among the 24 members, but there are many challenges with that approach. Certain projects are ready to begin construction immediately and others need more time to complete preliminary requirements and clearances.

Also, several Council members have multiple chapter governments in rural communities needing immediate infrastructure compared to delegates who have one or two chapters with existing infrastructure. The need is greater within rural communities, and time is of the essence.

This week, we sent a letter to the Office of the Speaker requesting a special session to be held on March 17 and 18 to consider the legislation. We need the Council’s support of this legislation to move forward and to make the proposed changes and improvements in our communities a reality.

The Navajo people need a hand up to help overcome this pandemic and to build our future for our children. We respectfully ask our lawmakers to approve this legislation so that we do not miss the upcoming construction season and to make sure that we do not send one dollar of ARPA funds back to the federal government because we failed to spend down the funds.

Jonathan Nez is president of the Navajo Nation.

---