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- By Native News Online Staff
U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday aimed at improving health outcomes in Tribal communities by elevating the leadership of the Indian Health Service within the federal government.
The Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act would raise the position of Indian Health Service director to assistant secretary for Indian health within the Department of Health and Human Services, a change supporters say would strengthen the agency’s authority and visibility.
The bill has been introduced while the Trump administration has not even nominated a director of the IHS. Since November, Clayton W. Fulton (Cherokee Nation), chief of staff, coordinates key agency activities and support agency priorities. In November, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. assigned all delegable authorities of the role of IHS director to Fulton while the director position remained vacant.
American Indian and Alaska Native communities experience some of the nation’s most severe health disparities, including lower life expectancy and higher rates of poor health than the broader U.S. population. The IHS director currently lacks certain authorities related to recruiting and retaining doctors, nurses and other health care workers, challenges lawmakers say hinder the agency’s ability to meet patient needs. Elevating the position would expand IHS authority to address workforce shortages and improve care delivery. Nevada has five IHS service clinics.
“The shockingly unequal health outcomes in Indian Country paint a clear picture: our country has failed to live up to our obligation to provide quality health care for Tribal communities,” Cortez Masto said. “This bipartisan legislation would be an important step toward giving IHS the tools and authority it needs to ensure everyone has access to excellent, affordable health care.”
“The Indian Health Service has an obligation to care for tribal members across the United States, and we have an obligation to make improvements to the system to improve patient care,” Rounds said. “Our legislation would raise the role of IHS Director to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, allowing them more authority to recruit and retain staff within the IHS system.”
The bill is endorsed by the National Congress of American Indians, the National Indian Health Board, the National Council of Urban Indians and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Reps. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., and David Joyce, R-Ohio.
“The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends Senator Cortez Masto for introducing the Senate companion to the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act. This critically important legislation would elevate the Director of the Indian Health Service to an Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ensuring that Tribal healthcare priorities are heard at the highest levels of federal decision-making. Such representation is essential to upholding the federal trust responsibility and to ensuring the federal government effectively and consistently meets the healthcare needs of Indian Country,” said Larry Wright, executive director of NCAI.
“We are grateful to Senators Cortez Masto and Rounds for their bipartisan leadership in prioritizing the health of Native people. Effective healthcare delivery requires empowered leadership, and elevating the IHS Director to Assistant Secretary is a critical step in moving Indian health from an afterthought to a primary focus of federal healthcare policy,” said Francys Crevier, CEO of the National Council of Urban Indian Health.
Cortez Masto has been a leading Senate advocate for Tribal communities and has sponsored bipartisan legislation aimed at improving IHS recruitment and retention. She and Rounds have previously worked together on legislation extending reporting deadlines for emergency medical care for Tribal members.
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