US Interior secretary to highlight COVID-19 aid for tribes

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is making her first official trip to her home state Tuesday to meet with Indigenous leaders.

She’ll host a roundtable discussion in New Mexico with the All Pueblo Council of Governors and other state officials.

The agenda includes the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating effects on tribal nations.

She’ll also highlight the federal government’s latest COVID-19 relief package.

Democrats have billed the money set aside for Native American communities as the country’s largest, single investment in Indian Country.

About $20 billion will go to tribal governments to keep combating the virus and to stabilize tribal safety-net programs.