- Details
- By Jenna Kunze
The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 8 agreed to hear two cases challenging the Trump administration’s distribution of federal Covid-19 relief funding to include Alaska Native corporations (ANC).
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act to respond to the Covid-19 public health emergency and resulting economic hardship. Of the $150 billion relief package, Congress directed $8 billion to tribal governments.
Debate ensued among federally recognized tribes and major national and regional Native American organizations throughout Indian Country over whether or not Alaska Native corporations constitute “tribal governments.”
Alaska Native corporations were formed under President Richard Nixon as part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, with a mandate to support Alaska Native shareholders economically, culturally and socially.
Several federally recognized tribes filed a lawsuit that held the Alaska Native corporations do not fall under the same definition, and the 12 for-profit Alaska Native regional corporations and 177 Alaska Native village corporations should therefore not have access to the pool of relief money.
In September, a D.C. Circuit Court ruled to deny Alaska Native corporations CARES Act funding Congress had allocated to a “recognized governing body of an Indian tribe,” prompting petitions from both Alaska Native corporations and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Appellants argue that Alaska Native corporations have long been considered Indian tribes under Congress’s 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act that granted tribes greater autonomy. By not allowing ANC’s to distribute relief funding, the appeal reads, “the D.C. Circuit’s decision will harm large segments of Alaska’s Native populations: specifically, those who either do not belong to any federally recognized tribe or who, primarily because of where they live, do not access services through a tribe, and instead rely on ANCs.”
Last April, 13 national Native American organizations signed onto a letter sent to the Interior and Treasury departments urging that funds only be distributed to tribal governments. Collectively, the 13 organizations represent almost every federally recognized tribe in the lower portion of the United States, including signers from the National Congress of American Indians, Native American Rights Fund, Native American Finance Officers Association, and the National Indian Gaming Association.
“If the Administration chooses to recognize ANC’s as government entities, this will set a dangerous precedent that will have greater negative implications beyond the CARES Act; including, but not limited to, the delivery and fulfillment of trust and treaty obligations across the federal government,” the letter said. “Such an action by this Administration would be an affront to our Tribal sovereignty.”
The state of Alaska, along with Sen. Lisa Murcowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Governor Michael Dunleavy, backed the Alaska Native corporations in the dispute.
The ANCSA Regional Association and the Alaska Native Village Corp. Association issued a statement Friday welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision to hear its case.
“We hold strong our belief that Alaska Native people should not be punished for the unique tribal system that Congress established for the state 50 years ago,” the statement read. “Nor should they be denied critical aid in a global pandemic because of a law’s use of commas. We are simply asking for Alaska Native people to receive the same support provided to millions of other Americans.”
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Schatz, Heinrich, Wyden Slam GOP Tax Bill for Slashing Tribal Energy Program and Clean Energy Credits
Tunica-Biloxi Chairman Pierite Hosts Roundtable with Tribal Leaders and Trump Administration Officials
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
