NCUIH Submits Written Testimony Urging Senate to Protect Funding of Indian Health Service & Funding for Key Indian Health Programs in FY 2026

On June 12, 2025, the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) submitted outside written testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies regarding Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding for Urban Indian Health. NCUIH called for protecting funding for the Indian Health Service (IHS) and urban Indian Health and increased resources for American Indian and Alaska Native health programs.

In the testimonies, NCUIH requested the following:

Protect Funding for IHS and fund Urban Indian Health
Maintain Advance Appropriations for the IHS, until mandatory funding is achieved, and protect IHS from sequestration.
Ensure Federal Policies Uphold Trust Obligations to American Indian and Alaska Native Communities
Appropriate $80 million for the Native Behavioral Health Resources program
Fund the Initiative for Improving Native American Cancer Outcomes at $10 million for FY26
Fund the Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country (GHWIC) Program at $30 Million for FY26
Protect Funding for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment

Next Steps:

This testimony will be considered by the Senate Committees and used in the development of the Committee’s priorities. NCUIH will continue to support these requests in the 119th Congress and work closely with Committee members and staff.

Background on President’s FY 2026 Budget Proposal: Increased for IHS, Stable Funding for Urban Indian Health, Advance Appropriations for IHS Not Included

The President’s FY 2026 proposed budget includes a $90.4 million for Urban Indian Health. This amount is flat with the FY 2025 enacted amount. The President’s proposal also requests $8.1 billion for IHS which includes reauthorization for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) for $159 million. HHS also proposes $80 million for the newly funded Native American Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder program to be administered through the Administration for Healthy America (AHA). HHS’ Budget in Brief and IHS Congressional Justification do not include advance appropriations for IHS, despite the inclusion of advance appropriations for FY2026 in the March 14 Continuing Resolution, which funded the government through the end of FY2025.

Read our full analysis of the President’s proposed FY 2026 budget.