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WASHINGTON, DC – November 30, 2022 – Today, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), in partnership with 120+ Tribal nations, organizations, and friends of Indian health, sent letters to the President and Congressional leadership requesting that they support and include no less than the House-passed level of $8.121 billion for the Indian Health Service (IHS) for FY 2023 and advance appropriations for FY 2024.
“IHS is the only federal healthcare system vulnerable to government shutdowns, and that’s just not right,” remarked Chief William Smith, NIHB Chairman and Alaska Area Representative. “A simple fix is already on the table to give the IHS the same advance budget certainty that Veterans healthcare has benefited from for over ten years. It’s time to stop putting American Indian and Alaska Native lives at stake. It’s time for the President and Members of Congress to step up, do the right thing, and get it done. Native lives can’t wait.”
Negotiations on FY 2023 spending are currently underway, with funding for the federal government set to expire after December 16, 2022. There is still time to get involved. Your voice makes an impactful difference as we near the negotiation finish line. Visit NIHB’s Advance Appropriations landing page for more information.
For more information, please contact Darren Benjamin, Interim Congressional Relations Director, at dbenjamin@nihb.org.
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