Why Tribal Nations Are Especially Vulnerable

The effects of government shutdowns are felt particularly deeply in tribal communities across the United States. That’s because the federal government has a constitutional obligation to fund services in Indian Country. But when the government closes, tribal nations are left to pick up the tab. Marketplace’s Savannah Peters joins Kimberly to explain how tribal communities get caught up in the federal government’s dysfunctional budget process and why tribal leaders argue this needs to change.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How the government shutdown is playing out in Indian Country" from Marketplace 
• "Tribal governments fend off the worst of the impacts of the shutdown" from High Country News 
• "The shutdown isn’t big for Utah’s tribes yet. If it drags on, that’s the problem" from KUER 
• "In Indian Country, federal budget dysfunction takes a toll" from Marketplace

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