[INSERT DATE]
The Honorable [INSERT SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE]
[INSERT OFFICE ADDRESS]
Washington, DC
RE: Funding for Tribal Communities for Zika Crisis Response
Dear [INSERT SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE]:
On behalf of [INSERT NAME OF TRIBE OR ORGANIZATION] I write today to requestthat Congress fund the requested $1.8 billion for prevention and treatment of the Zika virus and that Tribal-specific funding be allocated as part of this request. Tribal communities are frequently left out of state or local emergency preparedness plans, and it is critical that a least a portion of these dollars flow directly to Tribal communities in regions at-risk for Zika in order to ensure that the virus is fully contained in Indian Country and the United States as a whole. As independent, sovereign nations, Indian Tribes must have the ability to mobilize resources in their own communities and determine the best course of action to mitigate the spread of this virus.
On February 22, 2016, the President wrote to Congress and requested $1.8 billion in supplemental funding to respond to the Zika virus both domestically and internationally. Among the goals of this funding would be to “fortify domestic public health systems to prevent, detect, and respond to Zika virus transmission...” and to “provide assistance to the States and U.S. Territories to combat the virus…” On April 6, 2016, Administration officials announced it would reallocate $589 million in unspent funds to treat the disease, in the short term, but top public health officials note that this will not be enough to prevent the disease from having serious impacts in the United States.
It is critical that Congress approve this funding request and that at least a portion dollars approved reach Tribes directly. Many Tribal reservations reach across state boundaries and occupy land areas larger than many states. Few, however, see any type of funding support for public health response from their state governments. The federal government has a special trust responsibility for health to Indian Country, and emergencyresponse to epidemics is well within this category. As independent, sovereign nations, Tribal governments do not operate within the state regulatory structure and Tribes are regularly left out of statewide public health plans and funding decisions for public health programs, like response to epidemics. Because Tribes do not have a local tax base and little (if any) outside funding, Tribal communities are often most at-risk for the spread of dangerous, infectious diseases like the Zika virus.
Without federally-supported infrastructure support for prevention and response to the Zika virus in Indian Country, the impacts on American Indians and Alaska Natives could be enormous. Furthermore, failure to fund Tribal communities and reservations could mean that large land areas of this country would be left out of mosquito mitigation, and therefore, impede the United States’ efforts to eradicate the disease within its borders.
In conclusion, we encourage Congress to appropriate the $1.8 billion requested in supplemental funding for Zika virus and encourage you to ensure that a portion of this funding go directly to Tribal communities so that Tribes can determine the best way to mobilize a local response to this crisis.
Sincerely,
[INSERT NAME AND TITLE]