NPR Heard on Morning Edition, KIRK SIEGLER
October 11, 2021
LISTEN· 3:08 (3 Minute Listen)
Marking Indigenous Peoples' Day, tribes are calling on Congress to swiftly pass the infrastructure bill — which they say would begin to address historical inequities in Indian Country.
A MARTINEZ, HOST: Native American tribes are calling on Congress to swiftly pass the sweeping infrastructure bill. Tribal leaders expect it to include about $11 billion for Indian Country, which they hope will begin to address historical inequities there. On this Indigenous Peoples' Day, NPR's Kirk Siegler takes a closer look at what tribes want to do with the money. KIRK SIEGLER, BYLINE: For Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin, the infrastructure bill isn't just about helping Indian Country. It's about modernizing rural areas in states like Oklahoma, long passed over by more influential cities. CHUCK HOSKIN JR: When tribes win in terms of these kinds of investments, rural America wins. SIEGLER: The Cherokee Nation is one of Northeast Oklahoma's largest employers with 11,000 workers, including some nontribal members. And Hoskin says there are a number of road and bridge repair projects the tribe has identified for upgrades, and people are ready to get to work. The Cherokee are also eager to add more electric buses to their fleet. In the reservation's more isolated communities, that's a vital link for tribal members to do everything from shopping to doctor's appointments.
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