Leaders of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released an analysis of the barriers facing Native American communities and how they hinder economic opportunity.
The report — released by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), chair of the JEC; U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), vice chair of the JEC; and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), Native American Caucus co-chair and member of the JEC – revealed that approximately one in six Native American families lives below the poverty level. Further, the median household income among Native Americans is $25,000 a year less than that of non-Hispanic white households.
“Our economy does better for everyone when everyone is doing better. As this report underscores, there is much more to be done to remove structural barriers and ensure all Native American communities can contribute to—and benefit from—economic growth,” Beyer said. “Native Americans face disparities in educational attainment, employment and income that are a result of, and a contributing factor to, pervasive wealth gaps that limit economic security and opportunity for Native American families, enterprises and governments.”
The analysis also found that more than one in 10 Native American households are unbanked, which is three times higher than the national average. In addition, Native Americans face barriers to accessing quality education and jobs, which reduces economic mobility and income. Also, the lack of access to hospitals and adequate health care made Native Americans more than twice as likely to contract COVID-19 and die than non-Hispanic white Americans.
“This report from the Joint Economic Committee shows how closely related issues of health, economic stability, housing, and education truly are,” Davids said. “To address the pervasive wealth gap that Native American families face, we must think broadly about lowering barriers to homeownership, increasing educational opportunities, and improving access health care. We’ve begun to do so with the American Rescue Plan and bipartisan infrastructure law, and this report continues the essential work of defining and exposing areas for further steps towards self-determination in tandem with Tribal governments.”
Through the bipartisan infrastructure law and the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration has taken steps to address gaps in health care, housing, transportation, and broadband, Beyer said. Specifically, the American Rescue Plan invested over $31 billion in Native American and tribal communities, making it the single largest federal investment in Indian Country in U.S. history. Further, $11 billion went to tribal entities from the infrastructure bill.
“With this report, we can increase awareness about the longstanding issues that have limited Tribal nations and work together to ensure the opportunity they deserve,” Heinrich said.