The Ninth Osage Nation Congress passed appropriation bills, including non-tribal grant funding, as well as a $3,000 donation for the Hominy Friends Church on April 16 during the Hun-Kah Session.
The following five bills passed with a 9-0 vote and had three absences that day from Congress members Billy Keene, John Maker and Jodie Revard.
- ONCA 25-45 (sponsored by Second Speaker Otto Hamilton) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-15 to increase the appropriation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Executive Branch for the CARES Continuation projects for the Museum, Language and Culture Departments in the amount of $51,230.”
- ONCA 25-47 (sponsored by Congresswoman Alice Goodfox) is “An Act to authorize and appropriate $3,000 to the Hominy Friends Church.” The bill pertains to the church located in the northwest corner of the Hominy Village with a large Osage and Native American fellowship in attendance.
Before the vote, Goodfox said the bill contains “a modest, but much-needed donation. I’m not a member of this church and the members didn’t request this. This donation request came during a conversation when we were at the Friends Church with family (during a recent funeral). The Friends Church opens their doors to the Zonzoli community when our chapel is already being used or has been under construction … This might provide to them to purchase some new things that they might need, some of their tables were getting old, and it’s just a way for us to give back.”
- ONCA 25-52 (Hamilton) is “An Act to amend ONCA 22-94 to provide supplemental appropriations to the Executive Branch in non-Tribal funds in the amount of $54,641.” The bill includes outside grant funding for specific entities, including Real Estate Services and the 477 Program.
- ONCA 25-58 (Hamilton) is “An Act to amend ONCA 23-83 to provide supplemental appropriations to the Executive Branch in the amount of $278,262 of non-tribal funds.” The bill includes outside grant funding for specific entities, including Education, EPA 106 and Wildland Fire.
- ONCA 25-59 (Hamilton) is “An Act to amend ONCA 24-75 to provide supplemental appropriations to the Executive Branch in the amount of $404,719 of non-tribal funds.” The bill includes outside grant funding for specific entities and uses including ON Police, Osage News, Financial Assistance, Housing Department and Wildland Fire.
Also that day, Congress voted down bill ONCA 25-53 (Hamilton), which is “An Act to amend ONCA 24-70 to authorize IDC Communications to move $20,000 to professional fees.” During an April 9 Congressional Appropriations Committee meeting for initial legislation consideration, Secretary of Administration Susan Bayro spoke on the bill’s intent for the department’s current fiscal year budget.
“This request is for $20,000 for a replacement of the tent that they used for the opening of the Outdoor Health (sports) Complex and it was extremely windy (that day) and so, it tore it up,” Bayro said. The Executive Branch hosted an Oct. 28, 2024, ribbon-cutting commemoration for the complex located south of Main Street in Pawhuska.
The bill received no questions from the committee and was referred to Congress for the remaining legislative process, including a final vote. ONCA 25-53 failed with eight “no” votes and one “yes” vote from Hamilton on April 16. Voting against the bill were Congress members Scott BigHorse, Goodfox, Brandy Lemon, Eli Potts, Whitney Red Corn, Joe Tillman, Maria Whitehorn and Congressional Speaker Pam Shaw.
For more ON Congressional information on sessions, committees and to view filed legislative bills and resolutions, visit the Legislative Branch website at: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/legislative-branch
