July 20, 2020

Wyden, Merkley: Coquille Indian Tribe Secures $900,000 Federal Health Grant

Funds will support acquisition and operation of health clinic

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Coquille Indian Tribe has secured a $900,000 federal grant to expand access to health care by acquiring and operating a health clinic.

“In the middle of a global pandemic, these health care resources for the Coquille Tribe are timely and welcome,” Wyden said. “This health clinic run by the Coquille Tribe is a positive prescription for expanded and better local health care for the community that can be a model for all Tribes to emulate.”

“Tribal communities have been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis,” said Merkley. “This grant funding—which will support the opening of a Coquille health clinic—is an important step in fighting the coronavirus among tribal communities. At the same time, we must do far more to ensure that tribal health care providers receive the resources necessary to keep their members safe. I’m going to keep fighting to put every possible tool and grant within reach for tribal communities in Oregon and across the nation."

The $900,000 Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) for the Coquille Tribe is part of the federal Housing and Urban Development’s Imminent Threat funding provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages to put toward community development projects to prepare, prevent, and respond to COVID-19.

“The Coquille Indian Tribe is appreciative of our Oregon delegation’s support for addressing health-care disparities and the spread of COVID-19,” said Coquille Chair Brenda Meade. “This federal funding and partnership with HUD will help us expand our health-care services and create access to care to underserved Native Americans in our community.”