Washington, D.C. - The Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded Wyoming's two Indian Tribes substantial grants in an effort to fight housing problems on the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming's Senators Craig Thomas and Mike Enzi announced today.

The Northern Arapaho and the Eastern Shoshone Tribes were awarded the grants under the "Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996." This program is designed to provide federal assistance for Indian tribes that rule by self-governance. The act reorganizes the system of federal housing assistance to Native Americans by eliminating separate programs of assistance and replacing them with a single grant program.

The Northern Arapaho Tribe and the Eastern Shoshone have been awarded $2.5 million and $1.7 million, respectively.

"The tribes continue to improve the housing situation on the Reservation," the Senators said. "The hard work and sturdy determination of both the Arapaho and Shoshone Housing Authorities should be commended and we look forward to seeing the progress made on the Wind River Reservation."

The grants will be used for low-income housing, new construction, acquisition or rehabilitation of rental-or-owner occupied housing, housing services, housing management, crime prevention, and other safety activities.