The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, has announced a $2.5 million grant awarded to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The grant, given by the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), aims to fund a comprehensive feasibility study for the Mashantucket Pequot Reshoring Essential Medicine Manufacturing (REMIND) effort, which aims to launch a generic drug production facility that could potentially benefit the surrounding region.
The funding is intended to help the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe explore the viability of establishing a generic drug production facility on tribal lands. The facility, if proven feasible, will be owned and operated by the tribe and will benefit not only the tribal community but the region as a whole.
Secretary Raimondo remarked that President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is about providing all communities with the opportunities and resources they need to thrive, including Tribal communities. She added that the EDA investment will help ensure the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation can expand tribal facilities and boost their resilience to natural disasters.
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, Alejandra Y. Castillo, emphasized the role of the Economic Development Administration in supporting strategies that help communities mitigate the impacts of natural disasters. She noted that EDA is pleased to prepare the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation for economic growth following natural disasters.
Senator Richard Blumenthal emphasized the importance of locally developed drugs, stating that the federal funding will provide the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe with resources to advance Connecticut-based drug research and development. Senator Chris Murphy echoed these sentiments, saying that early investment in the long-term economic security of local tribes and towns leads to greater community resilience.
The grant is part of the funds from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, which provided EDA with $483 million in additional funds for disaster relief and recovery in areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act as a result of various natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022.
