November 28, 2023 

Dear USET/USET SPF Family,

The Indian Health Service has announced that it will hold Tribal consultation to seek guidance and recommendations as the agency develops a spend plan for the third year of funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The IIJA appropriated $3.5 billion to the IHS, with $700 million made available annually over 5 years, beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. USET SPF has submitted comments to IHS regarding this funding in both 2021 and 2023, urging the agency to use the funds to address all projects on the Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) and ensure that all Tribal Nations benefit from the funding. 

IHS will hold the Tribal consultation on Monday, December 18, 2023, from 3:00 - 6:00 pm ET. Interested participants may find more information in the Dear Tribal Leader Letter (DTLL) and register here for the consultation. IHS will also accept written comments emailed to consultation@ihs.gov until January 4, 2024. 

For more information, please contact Ashton Martin, USET SPF Health Policy Analyst, at amartin@usetinc.org. 

Established in 2014, the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization advocating on behalf of thirty-three (33) federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET SPF is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the inherent sovereign rights and authorities of Tribal Nations and in assisting its membership in dealing effectively with public policy issues.