Chief Hoskin signs stop gap water line funding measure

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signed budget legislation Tuesday directing $1.5 million from the tribe to cover a federally-funded water line program that faced cuts.

"It's troubling that in the midst of four years of increases in federal resources for infrastructure that the Indian Health Service would slash water line funding for new home construction," said Chief Hoskin. "Fortunately, Deputy Chief Warner, the Council and I worked quickly to address the shortfall with this legislation."

The Council of the Cherokee Nation unanimously approved legislation proposed by Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner to shore up the IHS funded "scattered site" program for water and sanitation systems.

The program helps tribes with "scattered site" housing projects and furnish community water taps, water wells, and on-site sewage treatment systems. Costs for water and sanitation systems on newly constructed, privately owned homes by Cherokee Nation citizens can reach up to $25,000 per home.

IHS notified the tribe earlier this year that the FY24 "Scattered Housing" funds would be cut by 38 percent. In Fiscal Year 2023 the Cherokee Nation received $5 million in IHS Scattered Housing funds and received $3.1 million in FY24.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signs budget legislation Tuesday directing $1.5 million from the tribe to cover a federally-funded water line program that faced cuts.

"The scattered site program is part of the federal government's trust responsibility and should be fully funded," said Deputy Chief Warner. "Instead, IHS cut the program and, without this legislation, dozens of Cherokee families who built new homes and applied for assistance will be abandoned."

The amendment to the tribe's fiscal year 2024 budget, signed by Chief Hoskin on Tuesday evening, will assist scattered site applicants who applied in 2024 but who had not yet been approved due to the federal funding shortfall.

Cherokee Nation has not yet received its funding for FY 2025.

In an April 2024 letter to IHS Director Roselyn Tso, Chief Hoskin urged full funding of the scattered site water system program. Hoskin has also advocated for the restoration of funding as a member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretarial Tribal Advisory Committee.

"Pushing IHS and Congress to restore federal cuts to the water line program is a top priority for my Administration," Chief Hoskin added.

Cherokee Councilor Danny Callison, a sponsor of the water line spending measure, praised the cooperation between the Council and the Administration.

"The council saw a real need here, as many of us have constituents who relied on water line assistance as part of their plans to build a home," Councilor Callison said. "Fortunately, we are not at the mercy of the federal government, but instead we work together to find the funds to avoid hardship for these families."

Cherokee Nation, through various federal and tribally funded programs, assist about 500 Cherokee Nation citizens annually with water and sanitation system needs.

Additionally, the tribe provides support for rural and municipal water systems annually. Last year Cherokee Nation funded water system projects totaling more than $19 million.

In 2021, Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner proposed, and the Council approved the Wilma P. Mankiller and Charlie Soap Water Act which provides $2 million in annual funding for individual water and sanitation assistance above federal funding and requires the tribe to conduct water access surveys every other year.

The $1.5 million spending measure approved Tuesday funds eligible applicants who had a pending application on file prior to October 1, 2024. Those pending applicants will be reviewed by the tribe's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Secretary of State Canaan Duncan met with Meranda Clay, who was affected by the funding cut and attended the November meeting of the Council of the Cherokee Nation.

Although the scattered site water line program has no income caps for applicants, the tribe will prioritize low-income applicants in the current fiscal year. The tribe plans to keep a low income priority for the program indefinitely in future years.

Meranda Clay, inherited her childhood home in Porum, and needed to get repair work done, including safe water and sanitation. Her savings for repairs went to pay for her mother's funeral service so she was struggling to get funding for water and sanitation services.

She learned this week that the tribe stepped in to help with funding from the IHS shortfall.

"I'm just very, very grateful to the Cherokee Nation for moving on this. And there's more than just us who were affected," Clay said. "This is important. My family home built me, it's where I come from. My kids will have their own rooms, and safe water, so having these funds means the world."

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