The Fourth Osage Nation Congress will consider several appropriation bills during the 2015 Hun-Kah session after receiving spending recommendations from the Congressional Appropriations Committee.

At issue is the remaining money the Nation has in tribal funds that have yet to be appropriated, with nearly six months left in the 2015 fiscal year. Also at issue is whether the Congress will tap into the Nation’s $30 million permanent fund to fund the higher education scholarship and the health benefit card.

The Congress may only take from the permanent fund if it relates to direct services, the scholarship program and health benefit card are categorized as direct services.

As a result of the budget situation, the Congress voted by majority last week to hold all appropriation and budget bills pending a recommendation from the appropriations committee during its April 6 session. The committee met on April 6 and 7 to consider the Nation’s available tribal funds before issuing recommendations for funding.

After discussion on the budget amounts and funds available, the committee recommended funding by majority vote the following:

–       ONCA 14-86 (sponsored by Congresswoman Shannon Edwards) for $1.5 million to supplement the health benefit card fund with money from the Nation’s permanent fund.

–       ONCA 14-95 (Edwards) to supplement the ON higher education scholarship fund for $3 million with $2.5 million coming from the Nation’s general treasury fund and $500,000 from the permanent fund.

–       ONCA 15-24 (Congressman William “Kugee” Supernaw), an appropriation bill for $945,000 to the capital asset and improvement fund, be funded with money from the general treasury fund.

The committee did not recommend funding bills ONCA 15-35, ONCA 15-45 and ONCA 15-50 not be funded at this time.

–       ONCA 15-35 is a $250,000 (Supernaw) appropriation bill for a matching grant toward a proposed Hominy Wellness Center. The Nation plans to apply for a grant to fund the center but the applications aren’t due until summer.

–       ONCA 15-45 (Congressman RJ Walker) is a $250,000 supplemental appropriation to pay for the campus master plan loan.

–       ONCA 15-50 (Congresswoman Angela Pratt) is a bill establishing a matching grant fund with an initial appropriation of $500,000.

The recommendation also states the Congress and respective Congressional committees should receive seven other bills up for funding consideration including:

–       ONCA 15-34 (Congressman John Maker) – An act to change the ON Cultural Division composition and to provide a supplemental appropriation to the division for $155,145.

–       ONCA 15-36 (Congresswoman Angela Pratt) – An act to change the composition of the Division of Child, Family and Senior Community Services and to reduce the division’s 2015 fiscal year budget by $5.4 million.

–       ONCA 15-37 (Pratt) – An act to change the composition of the Division of Land, Commerce and Public Safety and to provide the division a supplemental appropriation of $298,448.

–       ONCA 15-38 (Walker) – An act to provide a supplemental appropriation to the Governmental Operations Division in the amount of $2,179,996 with $350,000 contingent upon receipt from the ON Gaming Enterprise. The bill is also intended to supercede ONCA 14-10 and ONCA 15-05 by including $3 million in this appropriation amendment and to change the division’s composition.

–       ONCA 15-40 (Norris) – An act to change the composition of the Health, Fitness and Wellness Division and to provide a supplemental appropriation of $4.4 million.

–       ONCA 15-41 (Whitehorn) – An act to provide a $1.2 million supplemental appropriation to the ON Office of Attorney General.

Congressman John Jech, chairman of the appropriations committee, said the recommendations are not set in law, noting the recommendations were made after taking the budget and accounting information into consideration. He also said the committees are still welcome to visit legislation that was not recommended for funding.

Day Nine of the Hun-Kah Session is April 9. For more information on the Congressional session, legislation and meeting information, visit: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch