Title
CHEROKEE ARTIST RECOVERY ACT
Body
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CHEROKEE NATION:
Section 1. Title and Codification
This legislative act shall be titled and codified as the "Cherokee Artist Recovery Act of 2022" or alternatively "Artist Recovery Act."
Section 2. Findings
The Council of the Cherokee Nation finds that the COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate negative economic impact on Cherokee artists. Pandemic conditions and response measures created barriers to the marketplace for many artists. This adverse economic impact threatens not only the economic viability of Cherokee artists, but also threatens the perpetuation of Cherokee Nation art, culture and life ways. The Council observed that every elected official in the Cherokee Nation takes an oath obligating the office holder, under Article VIII, Section 1, of the Constitution of the Cherokee Nation, "...to promote the culture, heritage and traditions of the Cherokee Nation." Based on these findings, the Council concludes that an expenditure of funds is necessary to assist the economic recovery of artists by purchasing Cherokee art and creating opportunities for Cherokee artists to teach Cherokee art forms.
Section 3. Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to address the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Cherokee artists through the purchase of their art and providing them with opportunities to teach their art forms during fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
Section 4. Substantive Provisions
? 1. Definitions.
A. Cherokee Artist: Any person who practices any of the various creative arts and who is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
? 2. Amounts Authorized.
A. Cherokee Artist Recovery Fund: For fiscal years 2023 and 2024 a total of $3,000,000 is authorized for expenditure under this Act.
B. The primary funding source is federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds under the Cherokee Nation COVID-19 Respond, Recover and Rebuild Plan (RRR). Other funding sources include dividends...
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