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Tribal Sovereignty not usurped by Wisconsin Supreme Court decision; Nation’s Safer at Home declaration effective until June 11, 2020

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(Oneida Reservation, WI) –   The Oneida Nation’s Safer at Home declaration continues to be in effect until June 11, 2020 regardless of the WI Supreme Court decision.  The Oneida Nation reviewed the decision reversing Governor Evers Administration’s Safer at Home order.  While, we are disappointed by the ruling of the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, we will continue to rely on our Public Health Officials to provide guidance on the best way to ensure the general health, safety and welfare of our community.  We encourage the state representatives to work together and put an effort toward legislative fix to ensure the State of Wisconsin moves forward in a manner that is safe and for all its citizens. 

The Oneida Nation implemented a Public Health State of Emergency and an Updated Safer at Home declaration which are currently in effect until June 11, 2020.  At this time, the Nation’s declaration is not changed by the WI Supreme Court decision.  We remind the community that the Nation’s declaration remains in place as a conscious decision to ensure the community’s health and well-being.  

Based on the advice of our Public Health Officials, we believe continued practice of social distancing and restrictions will ensure the downward trending of this virus’s spread remains on its current path. Should conditions sufficiently change to allow a re-opening sooner, and in a safe way, the Nation will do so under the advisement of appropriate Public Health Officials and based on science. 

We believe the swift action taken by the Brown County Public Health Officer to maintain a Safer at Home order for Brown County, allows for the continued good work being done by the healthcare locations in our area, including the recent increase in testing. 

The Oneida Nation wants the community and customers to be able to enjoy area businesses and recreational activities to their fullest extent under an updated social contract that recognizes the long-term need to ensure measures, such as adequate personal and social distancing, continue in a way that mitigates the resurgence of COVID-19 in Northeast WI. The Nation also recognizes that throughout our history, vulnerable populations such as ours have faced introduced diseases foreign to us; the current pandemic is a living history lesson to us all and must be heeded.