Navajo council votes to send big checks to tribal members

The Associated Press, Christina Rodriguez

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation’s tribal council has voted to send $2,000 checks to each qualified adult and $600 for each child using $557 million in federal coronavirus relief funds.

The vote to send the checks to about 350,000 tribal members still needs approval by Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez to take effect. Nez has approved previous rounds of relief checks using money from federal coronavirus relief funds.

A spokesperson did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Wednesday’s 18-2 vote during a special session of the tribe’s lawmaking body will tap some of the approximately $2.1 billion the tribe is receiving from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act.

Individuals do not have to reapply for the second allocation of hardship assistance payments. Any future check disbursements will follow the financial process previously approved by the Office of the Controller.