/ Modified jul 17, 2022 10:33 a.m.

Navajo president signs pandemic aid priorities, $1B spend

The spending plan covers COVID-19 and infrastructure.

navajo billboard COVID Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said the "Stay home, stay safe" message from the tribal government guarantees that businesses in the nation have the "the safest environment" compared to those outside its tribal lands during the pandemic.
Daja E. Henry/Cronkite News

Navajo Nation leaders have finalized an agreement on spending priorities for more than $1 billion in federal pandemic relief to improve water, sanitation, housing, and communications infrastructure.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez on Friday signed an agreement from the Navajo Nation Council to deliver funding to improve infrastructure for water, electricity, high-speed internet, housing, COVID-19 mitigation, and specialized hardship assistance to projects and residents across the reservation spanning portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

The coronavirus pandemic disproportionately hit Indian Country, underscoring stark disparities in access to running water, sewage systems, and internet communications amid interruptions in classroom teaching.

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