The 2024 Tzi Sho Session is underway for the Ninth Osage Nation Congress to consider the upcoming fiscal year budgets and appropriation requests, as well as other legislative matters.
Day 1 of the fall session featured messages by Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear and Congressional Speaker Pam Shaw, followed by filed legislative bills and resolutions receiving assignments to Congressional select and standing committees for initial consideration.
“What we have before you is a lot of work,” Standing Bear told Congress. “Speaker and I have called the staff that’s important for your education on matters to meet with them and the leadership of Congress and we met several times and our subjects included the annual plan (of operations) for gaming.”
Standing Bear said the meetings also included the federal American Rescue Plan Act relief funding, which the Nation received and appropriated for various projects following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The majority of these meetings have to do with funding from ARPA and on projects and the timelines, so we’re looking for Congress to take this opportunity to redirect the ARPA monies to the projects and put things more in balance so we don’t have to return any money to the federal government by the deadlines, which we’re not sure are going to be extended or not,” Standing Bear said. “I appreciate the opportunity to work with you, Speaker, and it ended up in our discussions we have more work to do.”
In her first regular session as Congressional Speaker, Shaw noted there are more than 100 government operations budgets that Congress will consider, which include revenue sources from tribal funding and non-tribal funding (i.e. grant awards).
“We will hear from our Nation’s most talented employees and we are tasked with approving plans from our Gaming Enterprise, Health System and others so we can understand their vision and commitment to providing for and caring for our people,” Shaw said.
For the 2025 fiscal year starting Oct. 1, Shaw said the Nation’s restricted tribal revenue is $80,937,327 and filed appropriation requests sit at about $73.6 million as of Sept. 3. She said if all appropriation requests are passed as originally filed, there will be $7.2 million remaining for future appropriations.
Shaw noted other appropriation requests may soon be filed, so the budget numbers will likely change. “Osage Nation has benefited greatly over the past few years with the inflow of ARPA funding that Chief mentioned in the ARPA meetings we had to prepare for session. We will spend time (Sept. 5) in Committee of the Whole going over each and every project where we are so that this body has a good understanding as we go into our budgetary session.”
In her message, Shaw said approximately $114 million in ARPA funds have been appropriated with only 11 projects under construction at this time. “Many projects have already been completed, but it’s important we keep an eye on the Dec. 31 deadline. We will not be receiving additional ARPA funds and must be mindful of this as we move through this session. I know that each Congress member understands the importance of this session and will be diligent in carrying out our oath. In addition to the tribal and non-tribal budgets, we have 19 pieces of legislation to consider.”
For more information on the Legislative Branch, filed legislative bills/ resolutions, session and committee meetings, visit: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/legislative-branch
