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Dear USET/USET SPF Family,
This afternoon, by a vote of 225-200-1, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. The bill provides full-year appropriations for the federal government through September 30, 2023 ahead of the expiration of a Continuing Resolution (CR) on December 23rd. The Senate had previously approved the bill by a vote of 68-29. It now goes to President Biden for his signature.
In an historic first, the bill provides $5.129 billion in advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service (IHS) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. That amount is equal to the FY 2023 amount with the exception of funding provided for Electronic Health Records, Sanitation Facilities Construction, and Health Care Facilities Construction, which are provided only an annual appropriation in recognition of the project-based nature of those accounts. This provision is the result of nearly a decade of advocacy from USET SPF and our partner organizations.
"We celebrate this achievement, which will provide budget certainty to IHS regardless of whether the rest of the federal government is operating under a CR or is shut down, said USET/USET SPF President, Chief Kirk Francis. "We are especially appreciative of strong advocacy from the Biden Administration and Congressional allies in support of this top priority for Indian Country. Now, we turn to our longer-term priority for IHS: full and mandatory funding. We look forward to continuing to partner with the Executive and Legislative branches to achieve this goal."
In addition to advance appropriations for IHS, the bill provides the following:
- A total of $6.928 billion for IHS in FY 2023, an increase of 5.6% or $297 million over FY 2022, including:
- $2.5 billion for Hospitals & Clinics (+$104 million);
- an additional $10 million for Tribal Epidemiology Centers
- $248 million for Dental Health (+$12 million);
- $127 million for Mental Health (+$5 million);
- $266.4 million for Alcohol & Substance Abuse (+$8.1 million); and
- $997 million for Purchased/Referred Care (+$12 million);
- $218 million for Electronic Health Records (+$72.5 million);
- $65.2 million for Community Health Representatives (+$1.5 million);
- $24.4 million for Health Education (+$1.1 million);
- $6.2 million for Self-Governance (+$324,000); and
- $170.6 for Maintenance & Improvement (+$931,000).
- A total of $3.842 billion for Indian Affairs programs at the Department of Interior, an increase of 7% or $297 million over FY 2022, including:
- $2.44 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (+$177 million)
- $29 million for Aid to Tribal Government (+$1.2 million);
- $55 million for Social Services (+$1.6 million);
- $17 million for Natural Resources (+$2.7 million);
- $159 million for Real Estate Services (+$8.8 million);
- $71.8 million for Tribal Courts (+$28.6 million);
- $31.2 million for Economic Development (+$1.8 million); and
- $75.2 million for Resource Management Construction (+$1.2 million).
- $1.4 million for the Bureau of Indian Education (+$119.5 million)
- $43.5 million for Scholarships & Adult Education (+$3 million); and
- $96.4 million for Facilities Improvement and Repair (+$1.1 million).
- Contract Support Costs and 105(l) Leases are fully funded via separate, indefinite appropriation.
- An authorization of $80 million annually from FY23-27 for Native Behavioral Health Resources, with the opportunity for ISDEAA contracting and compacting, as well as a requirement that the funding formula and reporting requirements be developed in consultation with Tribal Nations. USET SPF led a joint letter on this issue, and is pleased with the progress made. We urge Congress to fund this provision.
For more information on the FY 2023 omnibus bill, please see joint explanatory statements and summaries here. This includes a joint explanatory statement and summary on Division G of the bill, which includes funding for Indian Affairs and IHS. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has also prepared a summary. Additional information around USET SPF's appropriations and budget advocacy can be found here.
For more information, please contact Liz Malerba, USET SPF Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, at lmalerba@usetinc.org.
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