NCUIH Endorses Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill To Secure Advance Appropriations For Critical Indian Country Programs

On July 24, 2023, Senators Lujan (D-NM) and Mullin (R-OK) and Representatives McCollum (D-MN-04) and Cole (R-OK-04) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Indian Program Advance Appropriations Act (H.R.4832/S.2424). The bill would authorize advance appropriations for several accounts under the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education within the Department of Interior and the Indian Health Service (IHS) within the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill would specifically provide advance appropriations for IHS, Contract Support Costs, Payments for Tribal Leases, Indian Health Facilities, Operation of Indian Programs, Operation of Indian Education, and several other critical Indian Services accounts. The bill is sponsored by twenty-three Democrats and four Republicans. The bill has been endorsed by the National Congress of American Indians, the National Indian Health Board, and the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH).

“The National Council of Urban Indian Health is pleased to endorse the Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act from Senators Lujan, Mullin and Congresswoman McCollum and Congressman Cole. This legislation is simple and essential. It would enable Congress to appropriate funding for the Indian Health Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian Education one year in advance- ensuring timely and sustained funding for essential programs and services that are vital to the well-being and prosperity of Native communities. The Act demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability, ultimately empowering our communities to thrive. I urge Congress to swiftly pass this bill, a significant step forward in supporting Native American health and education initiatives.” – Francys Crevier (Algonquin), CEO, NCUIH.

Next Steps

The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the House Natural Resources Committee. The bill has been added to the NCUIH bill tracker and can be found here.

Background

After tireless advocacy across Indian Country, advance appropriations for IHS were included in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 final spending bill to provide stable funding for FY 2024. On July 19, 2023, the House Appropriations Committee released their FY 2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill – maintaining advance appropriations for FY 2023 at $5.878 billion. Despite the victory in the final FY23 spending bill for IHS, other critical Indian country programs were not included in advance appropriations. It is paramount that all critical programs receive advance appropriations to ensure all American Indians and Alaska Natives have continuous access to the essential services many rely on.