Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations

Government Shutdown Leads To Program Cuts For Native Americans

Screenshot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELhn51G0Xwc
/
Democratic House members hear testimonies on the government shutdown. Tuesday, January 15, 2019.

Food and medication distribution and substance abuse counseling programs for Native Americans are being put on hold due to the federal government shutdown, panelists told members of the U.S. House Tuesday.

Aaron Payment, a board member of the National Congress of American Indians, testified before Democratic members of the House at the D.C. hearing.

"This is a crisis like we’ve never seen," said Payment.

In Montana, the Washington Post reports 800 Indian Health Service workers are either furloughed or working without pay. On Friday Montana Representative Greg Gianforte supported a House bill to specifically fund IHS during the shutdown, but that bill remains in committee.

The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council released a statement Tuesday saying they have taken necessary measures to cut back spending and that a food distribution program was able to secure some food donations for furloughed federal employees and IHS employees working without pay.

According to the statement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Blackfeet Reservation is down to one snow plow, one operator and one on-call operator to cover all of the BIA routes on the Reservation.

Last year a state of emergency was declared following severe winter storms on the Blackfeet Reservation. There is concern that if similar storms take place during the shutdown, the impact would be intensified by the limited funding for snow removal and road maintenance services.

Maxine is the Morning Edition Host and reporter for MTPR. She got her start at MTPR as a student intern reporting for Montana News during the 2017 fire season.
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information
Related Content