NCUIH Joins NIHB in Letter to Congressional Leadership Advocating for Protecting the Indian Health System from Funding Freezes

On January 31, 2025, the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) joined the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) in sending a letter to House and Senate leadership to communicate concerns about the impacts of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) now-rescinded memorandum that implemented a temporary pause in federal funding. In the Letter, NCUIH and NIHB urged Congress to communicate and work with Administration officials on guidance about the unique relationship Tribes have with the United States and include a broad Tribal exemption from any future funding restrictions or pauses.

While the recent OMB memorandum has been rescinded, we will continue to monitor this situation and any potential impacts on Indian Health Service funding.

Read the full letter here.

Background on the OMB Memorandum

In a memorandum dated January 27, 2025, the OMB Acting Director, Matthew Vaeth, instructed the heads of executive departments and agencies to temporary pause agency grant, loan, and other financial assistance programs. The now-rescinded memorandum would have temporarily paused “all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated” by recent executive order (EOs). These EOs concern topics such as financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, “woke gender ideology,” and the green new deal. OMB later rescinded the memorandum in a memorandum dated January 29, 2025.

NCUIH will continue to monitor any developments.