The Eighth Osage Nation Congress passed appropriation bills during the 2023 Hun-Kah Session with non-tribal funding awards to the Nation, as well as an amendment to the open records law.
ONCA 23-29 (sponsored by Congresswoman Jodie Revard) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-94 to provide supplemental appropriations to the Executive Branch in the amount of $3,617,313 of non-tribal funds. According to the bill, the non-tribal supplements include grant funding for the following entities or projects:
- Four DHS Stabilization Grants for Fairfax ($23,100), Hominy ($18,900), Pawhuska ($18,900) and Skiatook ($23,100)
- Endangered Language Fund – Native Voices Endowment ($10,000)
- Google News Initiative – Osage News ($12,250)
- Justice Assistance Grant – Local Law Enforcement ($9,607)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Emergency Supplement ($73,340)
- Local Assistance & Tribal Consistency Fund – Judicial Building Construction ($2.5 million)
- Local Assistance & Tribal Consistency Fund – Pawhuska Child Care Facility Construction ($500,000)
- National Parks Service – Historic Preservation Office ($69,674)
- Project Piston ($115,000)
- Racial Equity in Journalism – Osage News ($100,000)
- Resident Opportunity and Support Services ($222,861)
- Stars – Daposka Ahnkodapi ($10,000)
- Stars – WELA – Fairfax ($17,500)
- Stars – WELA – Hominy ($10,000)
- Stars – WELA – Pawhuska ($10,000)
- Stars – WELA – Skiatook ($10,000)
ONCA 23-30 (Revard) is “An Act to amend the Open Records Act to include Congressional subpoenas after they have been served and filed.” According to the bill, the Nation’s open records law is amended to include as designated public documents: “Subpoenas issued by the Osage Nation Congress only after they have been served and the return of service has been filed with the Clerk of Congress, or after 90 days have passed since the subpoena was issued.”
ONCA 23-35 (Revard) is “An Act to authorize and appropriate the amount of $100,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Visitors Center to build a patio roof structure.” Located at the intersection of Pawhuska’s Main Street and Lynn Avenue, the Nation’s Visitors Center is undergoing renovation construction and the patio roof structure will be a new addition to the building.
ONCA 23-31 (Revard) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-95 to authorize supplemental appropriations to the Executive Branch in non-tribal funds in the amount of $824,412. According to the bill, the Nation received funding awarded to the Nation’s Roads Department and a separate grant titled Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity ($272,920).
Downloadable copies of filed legislative bills and resolutions, as well as Congressional meeting notices and agendas are posted online to the Legislative Branch website at: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/legislative-branch
