FACTSABOUTNATIVEAMERICANFUNDING

Lets talk about money. Many Americans believe that all Native Americans live for free and that they are
taken care of by the government. In part, this stems from a belief in the treaties, although over 500
treaties were made and over 500 were broken. In part, it also stems from misinformation about funding
sources, the use of funds allocated for Native America, and funding available to individuals. But lets take
a closer look at what is true or false.
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NativeAmericansgetfreehousing?
NativeAmericansgetgovernmentcheckseverymonth?
NativeAmericantribesdonthelpeachother?
NativeAmericantribesarerichfromcasinos?
NativeAmericansarelazyanddontwanttowork?
NativeAmericansdontpaytaxes?
NativeAmericansgetfreeeducation?

Free Housing
TheBureauofIndianAffairsisresponsibleforcontracts,grants,orcompactstoover560Federally
recognizedtribeswithnearly2milliontribalmembers(includingAlaskaNatives).Whilethelast30years
haveplacedagreateremphasisonselfgovernanceandselfdeterminationforthetribes,IndianAffairs
isstillresponsibleforabroadspectrumofservices,includingsomehousingimprovement,social
services,jobtraining,andaneducationsystem(meaningschools,tribalcolleges,dorms,andrepairs).
TheBIAisalsoresponsibleforahostofotherservices(landmanagement,lawenforcement,tribal
courts,roadsandbridges,dams,andirrigationsystems).TheBIAfundinggoestothesekindsofservices
tohelpimprovethequalityoflifefortribalmembers.TheBIAdoesnotdisbursecashtoindividuals.

TheBIAhasbeenstatedtobetheleasteffectivegovernmentagencyandthemostmismanaged.
Apparently,about45%ofBIAfundinggoestooperate260+BIAofficeslocatedonreservationsand
throughoutthecountry.About55%ofBIAfundingisdirectlyusedinbehalfoftribesandtribal
organizations,muchofwhichtakestheformoftheservicesnotedabove.Outsideofthesecontracts,it
issaidthat10to15percentofBIAspendingisthoughttoactuallyreachthetribes,theportiontheycan
selfdeterminehowtouse.This,coupledwithalackofjobsandunemploymentreachingashighas85%,
meanthattriballistsforhousingneedsarelong,thewaitsfortribalhousingarelong,andthereisa
housingcrisisinIndiancountry.TheBIAhashelpedfamilieswithhousing,anditiscommonforthose
familiestomakehousingpaymentstotheBIA.HUD(HousingandUrbanDevelopment)hasalsofunded
somehousingandhousingrepairs.Still,accordingtotheNationalAmericanIndianHousingCouncil,
some90,000AmericanIndianfamiliesarehomelessorunderhoused,and40%ofonreservation
housingisconsideredinadequate.

Government Checks
ContrarytowhatmanyAmericansbelieve,theGovernmentdoesnotmailoutbasicassistancechecksto
peoplejustbecausetheyareNativeAmerican.ManyNativeAmericansareveteransordisabledorboth,
andtheyreceiveV.A.ordisabilitychecksfromthegovernment.OtherNativeAmericansreceivesocial
securityincomefromyearsofworkingontherailroad,asartistsandeducators,intribaljobs,orin
generallabor.InNRCsservicearea,themainformsofgovernmentalaidseemtobeenergyassistance

andfoodcommodities,althoughmanyElderssayitishardforthemtowadethroughthelinetoreceive
thecommodities.TANFisavailableforsinglemothersbutoftenrequiresthemtovolunteerfor40hours
aweekinasupervisedprogram.OthersocialprogramssuchasWICandFoodStampsareavailableon
thereservations.ThesearethesameprogramsareavailabletoallAmericans,andallocationsaremade
basedondemonstratedneed.

Underthetreaties,somegovernmentpaymentsdogetdisburseddirectlytothetribes.Thefundsare
usedforhousing,socialprograms,energyassistance,healthcare,andotherbasicneedstoservetheir
people.Themoniesallocatedbythegovernmentaresplitamongmorethan560tribes.Thefactthat
thesemoniesareinsufficienttomeettheneedisreadilyapparentonlineandinthepapers.

Tribes Helping Tribes

Tribeshavenomoreobligationstohelponeanotherthananynationhastohelpanother.Sometribes
thatarefaringwelldoassisttribesthatarestruggling.Thisiswellreported,anditsnicewhenit
happens.

Casino-Rich Tribes
Whenunusedcasinoprofitsareevenlysplitamongtribalmembersanddistributedtothemfortheir
individualuse,thisiscalledapayout.Havingacasino,however,doesnotautomaticallymakeatriberich
ormeanthatitstribalmembersreceivecasinopayouts.TheNationalIndianGamingAssociationreports
562tribesintheU.S.Only223ofthemhavecasinos,andofthose,only73givepercapitapayouts.In
fact,theresearchshowsthatcasinosneedtobewithin50milesofametroarea(with10,000ormore
residents)tobehighlyprofitable.Inourexperience,theruralcasinosdonothaveenoughtrafficto
generatelargeprofitstheydocreateafewtribaljobs.Someofthetribeswithprofitablecasinosdo
helpothertribes,buteventhisisregulatedbythegovernment.

Native Americans and Work

Theexistenceofavailablejobsonthereservationsislow,forcingunemploymentof35%to85%(varies
byreservation).Atthesametime,manyNativeAmericanswhodoworkfulltime(onoroffofthe
reservation)stillfallbelowpovertylevel.ItisnotforlackofexuberanceoreffortonthepartofNative
Americansthattheseconditionsarise.ManyofthehardestworkingfolksweknowareNativeAmerican.
Rather,bigbusinessisreluctanttoinvestinsmall,remote,andruggedreservationcommunities,which
wouldhelpcreatejobs.Mostjobsonthereservationsaretribal,government,orstatejobswith
restrictivebudgetsandhistoricbudgetcutsthatlimitopportunitiesforgrowth.Ahistoryofoppression
alsolimitsthepossibilitiesthatreservationscanenvisionforthemselves.

Native Americans and Taxes

LikeAllAmericans,NativeAmericanspayfederalincometaxonanymoneytheyearn,includingcasino
earnings.Theydonotpaystatetaxforincomeearnedwithinreservationboundaries.

Native Americans and Education

Underthetreaties,aneducationwaspromisedtoallNativeAmericans.Budgetcutafterbudgetcuthas
limitedthatpossibility.Today,whenevenmoreNativeAmericanstudentshopetogotocollege,the
competitionforavailablescholarshipsisfierce,andNativeAmericanstudentsarehalfaslikelyasnon
Nativestohaveacollegedegreeinthiscountry.

We hope these facts help dispel the beliefs that lead Americans to think Native Americans live for free.
We hope they also shed more light on the true meaning behind our Reservation Facts in the Press Room.

Formediainformation,contactPR@nrc1.org.
Forgeneralinformation,call8164168102.