Photo provided by Roberto Rosales with the Albuquerque Journal

The Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff toured a COVID-19 vaccination site at the Santo Domingo Health Center in Kewa Pueblo on Wednesday 3/17/2021. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Kewa Pueblo Governor Sedelio Tenorio, Sr. joined him on the tour. Mr. Emhoff highlighted how the American Rescue Plan will ramp up efforts to curb the pandemic and help Americans and their families.

Following the vaccination site visit, Mr. Emhoff met with Governor Tenorio and Governor Vernon Abeita, Pueblo of Isleta; Governor Stuart Paisano, Pueblo of Sandia; Governor Anthony Ortiz, Pueblo of San Felipe; and Governor Brian Vallo, Pueblo of Acoma. He discussed how the American Rescue Plan represents the largest single investment the United States has ever made in Indian Country.

According to a press release, the American Rescue Plan will provide direct aid to Native American communities including $20 billion in emergency funding for Tribal governments to manage the pandemic, $1.1 billion for education, and funding for Native housing, businesses, and essential services.