"Economist Joseph Kalt is with Harvard University's Project on American Indian Economic Development. In a letter this week, he and his research partners urged U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to consider the needs of tribal nations while disbursing funds from the CARES Act. He told Wyoming Public Radio's Savannah Maher that without substantial aid from the federal government, the pandemic could set back more than 30 years of economic progress in Indian Country."
"Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development researchers released the preliminary results of a study on the impact of the COVID‐19 crisis on the economies and governments of the country’s 574 federally‐recognized American Indian nations. Writing to Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin, researchers Randall Akee, Eric Henson, Miriam Jorgensen, and Joseph Kalt report that the COVID‐19 crisis poses an immediate threat to three decades of steady improvement in economic conditions across Indian Country."
"The group of academics at Harvard’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation has sent Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin a letter about the allocation of COVID-19 relief funds to American Indian Tribes. The document outlines some key differences between state and local governments on the one hand, and Tribal governments on the other."
"As the country responds to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the task before tribal nations is complicated by many unknowns. The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development recognizes the challenges native nations are up against and wants to help. The Harvard Project team is monitoring tribal governments’ response to the crisis. Across Indian Country, they are witnessing tribal leaders and national Native organizations taking action to protect and position Native nations to see a better tomorrow. These examples and many more make up the contents of a new COVID-19 Resources for Indian Country toolbox."
"In a letter to U.S Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Harvard researchers said COVID-19 poses an "immediate threat" to three decades of steady improvement in economic conditions across Indian Country."
"Researchers Randall Akee, Eric Henson, Miriam Jorgensen and Joseph Kalt of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development said new research shows that three decades of economic progress are at risk because of the virus and the economic collapse.
In a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin the research team said the crisis poses an immediate threat to three decades of steady improvement in economic conditions across Indian Country."
Joe Kalt, a professor and co-director of the Harvard University Project on American Indian Economic Development, said tribes’ casino revenue is going to “get hammered.”
“Just like a county or city collecting taxes, tribes use their casino revenue to provide for their citizens and the travel and tourism industries are going to take a direct, immediate hit,” Kalt said.
Two Cherokee Nation programs have been named semifinalists for the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development's 2020 Honoring Nations program.
