Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben issues statement on federal funding freeze
Choctaw Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben issued a statement on Tuesday addressing concerns regarding the United States Office of Budget and Management (OMB) memorandum notifying Federal Agencies of a Temporary Pause on Federal Assistance Programs.
Ben explained that the temporary pause means federal grants and loan disbursements will not be made until the federal agencies review all programs to ensure they meet President Trump’s policies and requirements for consistency with recently issued executive orders.
According to the OMB memorandum, this temporary pause does not include assistance provided directly to individuals, such as Medicare or Social Security benefits.
“I want to assure you that I am actively monitoring the situation with our federal, state, and tribal contacts,” Ben said. “I will continue to work with our federal partners to voice the potential impacts this temporary pause in federal financial funding may have on tribal programs and other operations.
“I continue to urge the United States Government to honor its trust and treaty responsibilities by exempting federal financial assistance to tribes from the OMB memorandum. I remain committed to protecting the general welfare of the Tribe and its members.”
He added, “A federal Judge has issued an administrative stay that will last until Monday afternoon. At this point we don't know exactly what this means. However, we are in regular communication with our Mississippi Congressional delegation and other officials in Washington and we hope this stay is a good sign.
“There is a great deal unfolding right now in our Nation’s Capital. I will continue to advocate for the Tribe and am doing all I can to minimize any impact to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians,” Ben said.
As of Wednesday, the Trump administration has rescinded the OMB Memorandum in an effort to end confusion created by the court’s injunction, but the President’s executive orders on federal funding will remain in full effect, officials said.