OMB to Expose to the World the Financials of Tribes Receiving Recovery Act Funds

In February 2009, the U.S. Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The intent of the $2.5 billion Congress allocated to Indian Country through the ARRA was to spur domestic economic growth on reservations and mitigate the negative effects being experienced by the American economy at large.  But little did Indian Country know that receiving Recovery Act funds would potentially make their audits and financial statements public, via the Internet.
 
According to OMB, if a tribal government is awarded federal funds under the ARRA, it will be required to report its projects and activities according to Section 1512 of the Act. That may not come as any surprise to tribes. But, after tribal grantees file a Single Audit with the federal government, OMB threatens to have all of the tribe’s Single Audit reports posted on the Internet—meaning not just audited financials regarding the activities for which the tribe received Recovery Act funds, but all of the tribe’s financial activities. That is likely shocking to tribes.

Tribal governments who have received or hope to receive Recovery Act funds must take action, by immediately contacting their Congressional Delegation and the OMB Director. For more information, read the full article available on Northwest Indian Law & Business Advisor. For information about what Washington State is doing in this regard, contact Quanah Spencer.

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