Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/20pdf/20-543_3e04.pdf
Page Number: 32

Cite as:  594 U. S. ____ (2021) 

1 

GORSUCH, J., dissenting 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

_________________ 

Nos. 20–543 and 20–544 
_________________ 

20–543 

JANET L. YELLEN, SECRETARY OF THE 
TREASURY, PETITIONER 
v. 
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE CHEHALIS 
RESERVATION, ET AL. 

20–544 

ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGE CORPORATION 
ASSOCIATION, INC., ET AL., PETITIONERS 
v. 
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE CHEHALIS 
RESERVATION, ET AL. 

ON WRITS OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF 
APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT 

[June 25, 2021] 

  JUSTICE  GORSUCH,  with  whom  JUSTICE  THOMAS  and 
JUSTICE KAGAN join, dissenting. 
  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act 
(CARES Act) directed trillions of dollars to various recipi-
ents across the Nation to help them address the COVID–19 
pandemic.  Our case focuses on $8 billion Congress set aside 
for “Tribal governments.”  The question we must answer is 
whether  Alaska’s  for-profit  Alaska  Native  Corporations 
(ANCs)  qualify  as  “Tribal  governments.”    If  they  do,  they 
may receive approximately $450 million of the earmarked 
funds; if not, the money will go to tribes across the country.  
The Court  of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 
wrote  a  thoughtful  and  unanimous  opinion  holding  that 
ANCs are not “Tribal governments.”  Today, the Court dis-