The Ninth Osage Nation Congress passed several appropriations bills to reassign unspent American Rescue Plan Act funding to ongoing endeavors as the deadline to spend the federal COVID-19 relief funding is forthcoming at year’s end.
Starting on Nov. 14, the 12 legislators met in special session to consider appropriation-related business including the unspent ARPA funding that was initially appropriated by Congress starting in 2021.
For the special session, the various ARPA-related bills were filed and sponsored by Congress members Brandy Lemon, Whitney Red Corn (Congressional Appropriations Committee vice chair) and Scott BigHorse (also an Appropriations Committee member).
Lemon said the ARPA-related legislation was needed following the 2024 Tzi-Sho Session when Congress received updates on the Nation’s endeavors funded with federal ARPA money. At that time, Congress heard from Executive Branch officials on whether the ARPA-funded endeavors were completed, ongoing or needed budget amendments if unspent money remained.
According to federal government mandates, ARPA 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.
The following ARPA-related bills received approval during the special session:
ONCA 25-02 (sponsored by Red Corn) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-75 to reduce the appropriation of ARPA funds for the expansion of the Chapel in the Hominy Indian Village in the amount of $113,034.”
ONCA 25-03 (Red Corn) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-63 to reduce the appropriation of ARPA funds to Financial Assistance Services for the Summer Youth and Workforce Development Programs in the amount of $313.”
ONCA 25-04 (Red Corn) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-17 to authorize and appropriate an additional amount of $192,691 to the Executive Branch in ARPA funds for a Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Continuation project for the remodel of the Mid-Continent Building as a COVID-compliant central receiving facility.” According to discussion on the bill, the additional funding is for a new roof on the Nation-owned building.
ONCA 25-05 (Red Corn) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-52 to reduce the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Executive Branch for direct assistance payments in the amount of $91,314.”
ONCA 25-06 (Red Corn) is “An Act to provide appropriations to the Executive Branch pursuant to interagency agreements for ARPA Operations in the amount of $8,435,769.”
ONCA 25-09 (Lemon) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-59 to reduce the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Executive Branch for water and sewer repairs and improvements to the Hominy Indian Village and the Hominy community in the amount of $2,389,577.”
ONCA 25-13 (BigHorse) is “An Act to repeal ONCA 21-53 and return $3 million of ARPA funds to the General Fund originally appropriated for water and sewer infrastructure repairs in the Pawhuska Indian Village.”
ONCA 25-14 (BigHorse) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-69 increase the appropriation of ARPA funds to ARPA Administration in the amount of $519,032.”
ONCA 25-15 (BigHorse) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-51 to increase the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Executive Branch for Hominy Senior Housing in the amount of $3,625,627.”
ONCA 25-16 (BigHorse) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-61 to reduce the appropriation to the Executive Branch in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the continuation and completion of CARES Act projects by the amount of $25,432.”
ONCA 25-17 (BigHorse) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-56 to increase the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Executive Branch for repairs and improvements to the Grayhorse Rural Water District in the amount of $777,286.”
ONCA 25-18 (BigHorse) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-80 to reduce the appropriation to the Executive Branch in ARPA funds for replacement and upgrades to the Nation’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the amount of $190,003.”
ONCA 25-19 (BigHorse) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-109 to reduce the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Osage Nation Butcher House Meats for flooring improvements in the amount of $12,020.”
ONCA 25-20 (BigHorse) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-62 to increase the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Executive Branch for the Burial Assistance Program in the amount of $1 million.”
ONCA 25-23 (Lemon) is “An Act to repeal ONCA 23-34 and return $3 million to the Nation originally appropriated for construction of a senior housing complex in Hominy.”
ONCA 25-24 (Lemon) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-15 to reduce the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Executive Branch for the CARES Continuation projects for the Museum, Language and Culture Departments in the amount of $269,208.”
ONCA 25-25 (Lemon) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-81 to reduce the appropriation of ARPA funds for the expansion of the Chapel in the Grayhorse Indian Village in the amount of $454,362.”
ONCA 25-26 (Lemon) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-75 to increase the appropriation of ARPA funds to the Executive Branch for the expansion of broadband coverage throughout the Osage Nation in the amount of $221,578.”
ONCA 25-27 (Lemon) is “An Act to amend ONCA 21-81 to increase the appropriation to the Judicial Branch in ARPA funds for improvements to the current Judicial Building and for the design, engineering and construction of a new Judicial building in the amount of $1,612,243.”
After the special session ended Nov. 20, Assistant Principal Chief RJ Walker signed the approved bills on behalf of Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear who was absent at the time.
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