The Ninth Osage Nation Congress started its second Special Session on Nov. 14 to begin considering several appropriation matters including to repurpose unspent American Rescue Plan Act funding from various endeavors previously approved by the legislature.
Assistant Principal Chief RJ Walker spoke at the special session addressing the 12-member Congress and mentioned some of the appropriation matters also include non-tribal appropriations with outside grant funding awarded to specific ON departments and entities for specific purposes. He said those departmental officials, as well as the Treasury Office, would speak on those matters during committee meetings scheduled during the session.
On behalf of Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, who had prior obligations and could not attend, Walker delivered the executive message remarks highlighting the appropriations proposed by the Executive Branch.
“A lot of these are going to be supplementals or additions to previously passed legislation in the budgeting session,” Walker said.
“We have lots of (ARPA) budget amendments and we want to make sure we don’t send any money back to the feds,” Walker said, adding “So, I’m not going to stand up here and say there’s not any new projects, but there are some adjustments necessary to make sure we get all the money spent.”
According to the federal government mandates on ARPA funding, the COVID-19 relief funding sent to recipients must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024. After receiving the ARPA funding, Congress previously approved several endeavors, including direct assistant payments to constituents, senior housing projects and funding to construct a new Judicial Branch building.
Congressional Speaker Pam Shaw followed with a legislative message stating in addition to the appropriations for consideration, one bill proposing an election code amendment will also be considered.
Bill ONCA 24-84 (sponsored by Congressman Joe Tillman) seeks to amend the candidate filing period for Congress members and Executive Branch officeholders to a three-day period. Currently, Osage candidates interested in running for office in either of the two branches have a filing period stretching approximately one month to file for candidacy with the Wahzhazhe Elections Office.
“We are all very aware of the upcoming deadline (for ARPA funding), which is 47 days from today,” Shaw said. “I would like to commend the Executive Branch, Treasury (office) and this body for working together to ensure that our ARPA funds are used in a meaningful way and that we don’t have to send any of those funds back.”
In 2021, the Nation received approximately $108 million in ARPA funds. Most of those funds have been expended on various projects in the sectors of language, culture, water infrastructure, construction, senior housing, broadband, building expansion, HVAC improvements across the board, and more.
According to a Sept. 9 executive memorandum from Standing Bear to Treasurer Clark Batson, the Nation has approximately $7.5 million left in unobligated (not under any contract) ARPA funds and listed 10 projects, of which some will be under discussion during this special session:
- Pawhuska Water Infrastructure: $1,880,000
- Grayhorse Water Infrastructure: $2,185,000
- Hominy Water Infrastructure: $100,343.90
- Housing Department, Generators: $140,460.76
- Funeral Home: $2,314,242.83
- Hominy Chapel Expansion: $132,715.87
- Grayhorse Chapel Expansion: $483,704.82
- Butcher House Flooring: $12,020.00
- Museum – Long Artifact Loan: $75,000
- Museum – Oral History Project: $253,676
Also on the first session day, Congresswoman Jodie Revard, chair of the Congressional Appropriations Committee, made a motion to amend the special session proclamation to replace the item “Amendment to bill ONCA 23-84″ with “ONCA 24-70 amendments,” which is the current 2025 fiscal year budget bill for the Nation’s Indirect Cost (IDC) departments. The motion passed unanimously.
This is the first special session following the 2024 Tzi-Sho Session held in September, which was heavily dedicated to considering and approving the Nation’s FY 2025 appropriations and budget bills for government operations.
For more information regarding ON Congressional sessions, filed legislation and Congressional committee meetings, visit the Legislative Branch website at www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/legislative-branch
