During a general meeting of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council Tuesday, the council passed an act to amend its tax code to include a tax exemption for 100 percent permanently disabled American veterans.  The act will provide for a sales tax exemption for qualifying veterans making purchases at Cherokee Nation retail outlets located on trust land.

During the meeting two Cherokee veterans were also honored with the Cherokee Medal of Honor for their services to their country. Edward C. Ketcher Sr. of Wauhillau was honored for his military service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, and his nephew, Ryan Keith Tiger, was also recognized for his service in the Navy during the Gulf War.

In other business, the council passed an act amending the budget for fiscal year 2009. The amendment included a carry-forward of $10.8 million, bringing the total budget for the year to $510 million.

Chad Smith, Cherokee Nation principal chief, announced during his State of the Nation that on a recent trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the Presidential Inauguration Cherokee Nation officials also met with members of the presidential transition committee to discuss and address the needs of Indian Country.

Just weeks after those meetings a federal stimulus package that could provide as much as $4 billion to Indian Country has now been passed, Smith said. The package means possible additional funding for health care, housing, education, roads and public safety within the Cherokee Nation and for other tribes across the country.  

Smith also announced that Sequoyah Schools would have a school year calendar change due to the recent ice storm. School days that were missed will be made up at the end of the school year, May 18 through 22, with graduation ceremonies proceeding as planned on May 15.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council will be held at 6 p.m. March 16 at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex located about three miles south of Tahlequah on State Highway 62.