By
Osage News
Two appropriation bills for Osage cultural purposes are law after the Fourth Osage Nation Congress passed them during the Hun-Kah Session.
The Congress passed a $4,000 appropriation bill on April 12 that designated $1,000 to four Native American Churches who hold meetings within the Nation’s boundaries.
Congress voted 8-3 with one abstention to pass the bill (ONCA 16-41 sponsored by Congresswoman Alice Buffalohead), which appropriates the money to the four NAC churches if requested.
Buffalohead said she sponsored the bill to provide assistance to those NAC chapters who hold meetings within the Osage Nation to help offset the costs in hosting a NAC church meeting, which includes expenses for the meals, supplies and other expenses associated with the cultural events.
According to the bill the Congress will appropriate $1,000 to each of the following four NAC chapters: Gray, Lookout, Red Eagle and Lottie Shunkamolah Pratt.
Voting “yes” were Congress members Buffalohead, Otto Hamilton, John Jech, John Maker, Archie Mason, James Norris, Angela Pratt and RJ Walker. “No” votes came from Shannon Edwards, Ron Shaw and Congressional Speaker Maria Whitehorn and one abstention from William “Kugee” Supernaw.
Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear signed the bill into law on April 13.
Also on April 13, the Congress voted unanimously to pass ONCA 16-55 (sponsored by Whitehorn) which appropriates $410,000 for restoring and repairing the historic Hominy Indian Village roundhouse. Standing Bear has also signed this bill into law.
According to ONCA 16-55, the $410,000 will be appropriated to the Nation’s capital asset and improvement fund with the money earmarked to restore the roundhouse for dance and cultural event purposes.
Also, the Congress voted unanimously to pass a resolution (ONCR 16-22 sponsored by Edwards) to set the Nation’s 2017 annual projected revenue at $47.3 million for tribal funding expected from revenue sources.
According to the resolution, the Nation is expecting to receive $40 million from its seven-casino enterprise in FY 2017, according to the Gaming Enterprise Board; $2.1 million from ON Tax Commission revenue; and the Nation is projected to receive $5.2 million from interest income on cash deposits and additional income from other sources including ON government division revenue and lease revenue in FY 2017.
The resolution also notes the Nation’s permanent fund balance is $30.8 million, which is restricted to spending on direct services for Osages and the nation’s Wah-Zha-Zhi Health Center is projected to receive $1.8 million in clinic revenue with that funding restricted due to the funding agreement with Indian Health Service. The resolution was sent to Standing Bear’s office for consideration of action.
Original Publish Date: 2016-04-19 00:00:00
