Cortez Masto, Rounds introduce bipartisan legislation to improve health outcomes for Tribal communities

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve health outcomes in Tribal communities. The Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act would elevate the role of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Director to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Deep disparities exist between the health of American Indian and Alaska Native communities and the broader American population. American Indians and Alaska Natives have a lower life expectancy at birth and report some of highest rates of poor health among racial groups in the country. Currently, the IHS Director lacks certain authorities that are critical for the recruitment and retention of doctors, nurses, and other critical IHS employees. Elevating the position to Assistant Secretary in HHS would give the IHS greater authority to address the health care needs of their communities. Nevada has five IHS Service Clinics.

“The shockingly unequal health outcomes in Indian Country paint a clear picture: our country has failed to live up to our obligation to provide quality health care for Tribal communities,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan legislation would be an important step toward giving IHS the tools and authority it needs to ensure everyone has access to excellent, affordable health care.”

“The Indian Health Service has an obligation to care for tribal members across the United States, and we have an obligation to make improvements to the system to improve patient care,” said Senator Rounds. “Our legislation would raise the role of IHS Director to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, allowing them more authority to recruit and retain staff within the IHS system.”

The Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act is endorsed by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) the National Council of Urban Indians (NICUH), and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.-04) and David Joyce (R-Ohio-14).

“The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends Senator Cortez Masto for introducing the Senate companion to the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act. This critically important legislation would elevate the Director of the Indian Health Service to an Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ensuring that Tribal healthcare priorities are heard at the highest levels of federal decision-making. Such representation is essential to upholding the federal trust responsibility and to ensuring the federal government effectively and consistently meets the healthcare needs of Indian Country,” said Larry Wright, Executive Director of NCAI.

“We are grateful to Senators Cortez Masto and Rounds for their bipartisan leadership in prioritizing the health of Native people. Effective healthcare delivery requires empowered leadership, and elevating the IHS Director to Assistant Secretary is a critical step in moving Indian health from an afterthought to a primary focus of federal healthcare policy,” said Francys Crevier, JD (Algonquin), CEO of the National Council of Urban Indian Health.

Senator Cortez Masto is among the strongest advocates for Tribal communities in the Senate and has consistently fought for better health care for Tribal members. She and Senator Rounds have worked together in the past on legislation to extend the reporting deadline for emergency medical care for Tribal members. Cortez Masto has introduced bipartisan legislation to make it easier for IHS to recruit and retain medical workers. She is pushing three bipartisan bills to address the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

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