Dear USET/USET SPF Family,
On August 12, 2021, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra, issued a "Dear Tribal Leader" letter to initiate Tribal consultation on mandatory funding approaches for the Indian Health Service (IHS). Currently, IHS is funded via the discretionary appropriations process, subjecting it to the political whims of Congress, government shutdowns, and discretionary spending caps. USET SPF has long advocated for mandatory funding for all federal Indian programs, which is more consistent with perpetual federal trust and treaty obligations. We strongly support full and mandatory funding for IHS as a critical step forward in better delivering upon these obligations.
In addition to other feedback on options to provide "adequate, stable, and predictable" funding for IHS, HHS is seeking input on the following questions:
- What is the appropriate funding level for a mandatory funding proposal?
- What is the appropriate growth pattern for a mandatory funding proposal?
- What is the appropriate appropriations structure for a mandatory funding proposal?
HHS is hosting a virtual Tribal consultation on mandatory funding for IHS, today, September 1, 2021 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm ET. Details for this consultation session are provided below—
Zoom Information: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1610450106
Meeting ID: 161 045 0106
One tap mobile:
+16692545252, 1610450106# US
+16692161590, 1610450106# US
Additionally, USET SPF has drafted a comment template for use by Tribal Nations, which mirror the comments we will be submitting today to HHS on mandatory funding for IHS. Written comments and recommendations on these mandatory funding approaches are due by Friday, September 3, 2021, and can be submitted via email to consultation@hhs.gov and consultation@ihs.gov.
For more information, please contact Liz Malerba, USET SPF Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, at lmalerba@usetinc.org.
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