‘A bigger Band-Aid’

Posted by Arlyssa Becenti | Feb 1, 2018 | News |

Women vets applaud passing of vital bill

WINDOW ROCK

As members of the Navajo Nation Veterans Advisory Council, Candace Pioche-Zunie, Katrina Yazzie and Tiarra DiNardo are three of 10 voices that advocate for Navajo veterans.

During last week’s Navajo Nation Winter Council Session lawmakers passed bill 0191-17 seeking to increase available funding for direct services for Navajo veterans through the Veterans Trust Fund. This was a vital bill that was needed to maintain an investment into the principal of the Veterans Trust Fund Act and increase the amount of annual funds that provide direct services to veterans.

“It is something that needed to be done … There was no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it,” said Yazzie, an Army veteran who represents Eastern Agency. “We had to take action.”

The bill (No. 0191-17) will increase the four-percent set-aside of Navajo Nation revenues that automatically goes into the trust fund. A final amendment stated that 75 percent of the total income earned is available, plus the current project set-aside, as supplemental funding for programs and services to benefit veterans.

“A lot of our veterans, they run on a very limited income, so the little increase we will have will help stretch their needs and have their needs met,” said Pioche-Zunie, U.S. Air Force veteran and representative for the Northern Agency. “Whether it be to provide food, fire wood or propane and even home improvement.”

Pioche-Zunie said the current $700 cap on home improvement funds will increase to $2,000, and she said this is a major help to veterans, with construction costs rising. She explained that $700 really doesn’t go far to help veterans when they want to work on their homes.