I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1719 
To provide homelessness and supportive services assistance for Native 
Americans to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2021 
Mr. VARGAS (for himself and Ms. WATERS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations 
A BILL 
To provide homelessness and supportive services assistance 
for Native Americans to respond to the COVID-19 pan-
demic, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Emergency Tribal 
Housing Assistance Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE 
SERVICES PROGRAMS FOR NATIVE AMERI-
CANS. 
(a) APPROPRIATION.—In addition to amounts other-
wise made available, out of any money in the Treasury 
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$5,000,000 shall be for grants under title VIII 
of NAHASDA. 
(C) USE.—Amounts made available under 
this paragraph shall be used by recipients to 
prevent, 
prepare 
for, 
and 
respond 
to 
coronavirus, including to maintain normal oper-
ations and fund eligible affordable housing ac-
tivities under NAHASDA during the period 
that the program is impacted by coronavirus. In 
addition, amounts made available under sub-
paragraph (B) shall be used to provide rental 
assistance to eligible Native Hawaiian families 
both on and off the Hawaiian Home Lands. 
(D) TIMING
OF
OBLIGATIONS.—Amounts 
made available under this paragraph shall be 
used, as necessary, to cover or reimburse allow-
able costs to prevent, prepare for, and respond 
to coronavirus that are incurred by a recipient, 
including for costs incurred as of January 21, 
2020. 
(E) WAIVERS.—Any provision of statute or 
regulation used to administer amounts made 
available under this paragraph (except for re-
quirements related to fair housing, non-
discrimination, labor standards, and the envi-
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ronment), shall be waived upon a finding that 
any such waivers or alternative requirements 
are necessary to expedite or facilitate the use of 
amounts made available under this paragraph. 
(F) UNOBLIGATED
AMOUNTS.—Amounts 
made available under this paragraph which are 
not accepted, are voluntarily returned, or other-
wise recaptured for any reason shall be used to 
fund grants under paragraph (2). 
(2) INDIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK 
GRANTS.—$280,000,000 shall be available for grants 
under title I of the Housing and Community Devel-
opment Act of 1974, subject to the following terms 
and conditions: 
(A) USE.—Amounts made available under 
this paragraph shall be used, without competi-
tion, for emergencies that constitute imminent 
threats to health and safety and are designed to 
prevent, 
prepare 
for, 
and 
respond 
to 
coronavirus. 
(B) PLANNING.—Not to exceed 20 percent 
of any grant made with funds made available 
under this paragraph shall be expended for 
planning and management development and ad-
ministration. 
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(C) TIMING
OF
OBLIGATIONS.—Amounts 
made available under this paragraph shall be 
used, as necessary, to cover or reimburse allow-
able costs to prevent, prepare for, and respond 
to coronavirus incurred by a recipient, including 
for costs incurred as of January 21, 2020. 
(D) INAPPLICABILITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES 
CAP.—Notwithstanding section 105(a)(8) of the 
Housing and Community Development Act of 
1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(8)), there shall be no 
per centum limitation for the use of funds made 
available under this paragraph for public serv-
ices activities to prevent, prepare for, and re-
spond to coronavirus. 
(E) WAIVERS.—Any provision of any stat-
ute or regulation used to administer amounts 
made available under this paragraph (except for 
requirements related to fair housing, non-
discrimination, labor standards, and the envi-
ronment), shall be waived upon a finding that 
any such waivers or alternative requirements 
are necessary to expedite or facilitate the use of 
amounts made available under this paragraph. 
(3) 
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—$10,000,000 
shall be used, without competition, to make new 
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awards or increase prior awards to existing technical 
assistance providers to provide an immediate in-
crease in training and technical assistance to Indian 
tribes, Indian housing authorities, and tribally des-
ignated housing entities for activities under this sec-
tion. 
(4) OTHER COSTS.—$5,000,000 shall be used 
for the administrative costs to oversee and admin-
ister the implementation of this section, and pay for 
associated information technology, financial report-
ing, and other costs. 
Æ 
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