Urban Indian Health Confer Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, today, the Indian Health Services Urban Indian Health Program consists of 41 nonprofit programs nationwide.

These programs are funded through grants and contracts from the Indian Health Service, pursuant to the authorities of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Urban Indian health organizations that participate in the program provide services such as information, outreach and referral, dental services, primary care services, community health, and other important services.

In 2010, as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Congress reauthorized and amended the Indian Health Care Improvement Act by adding a requirement that the Indian Health Service confer with urban Indian organizations.

In 2014, the Indian Health Service established a policy to guide when the Indian Health Service seeks input from Urban Indian Organizations on health policy matters.

Other agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services that serve American Indians and Alaska Natives, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and others, do not have policies regarding conferring with Urban Indian Organizations.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Urban Indian health organizations were provided no notice that they were required to make selections for COVID-19 vaccine distribution until the day of the deadline imposed by an agency. This resulted in Urban Indian Organizations struggling to provide accurate responses to changing public health decisions for Indians living in urban areas.

This bill would amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to require all agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an urban Indian organization confer policy.

I thank the sponsor of this legislation, Chairman Grijalva, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am ready to close, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I want to, once again, thank Ranking Member Westerman, as well as Ranking Member Don Young and Chair Grijalva, for bringing forth this legislation. It addresses immediately something that we saw that had lingered, but the pandemic shown its ugly light on what happens when we let things linger and do not deal with them. This legislation fixes that. It highlights the importance of communication, of cooperation, and the confer policy that must be adopted across all of our agencies, not only at HHS.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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