On Sunday, August 7, 2022, the United States Senate passed the historic Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376) to reduce the deficit and provide inflationary relief to all Americans. The U.S. House of Representatives must enact their version expected to mirror the Senate bill. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that the house will take up the bill when it returns from recess on Friday, August 12. Then, President Biden is expected to sign the Act into law.
 
In addition to several key provisions for Tribal Nations, the Inflation Reduction Act will lower prescription drug prices, allow for Medicaid to negotiate cost reductions, cap out-of-pocket prescription costs at $2,000 annually for Elders (Seniors), extend the Affordable Care Act supplemental provisions, and invest in clean energy. A summary of key provisions can be found here. 

At an increasingly alarming pace, climate change represents an existential threat, as demonstrated through several environmental and public health emergencies. Not only are traditional American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) lands adversely impacted, but forest fires, extreme heat, water depletion, and soil erosion threaten entire villages and Tribal communities. 
 
“Once perceived as future threats, the impacts of climate change are now upon us,” explained NIHB Chairman William Smith (Valdez Native Tribe of Alaska). “The action taken today demonstrates a renewed respect for Mother Earth and our waters and will focus attention and critically needed resources on alleviating the impact of climate change and transitioning to clean energy. Additionally, this bill includes several general health provisions and inflationary and deficit control factors to bring welcomed financial relief to all Americans”. 
 
Specific provisions in the Act to benefit Tribal Nations include: 
 
  • $272.5 million to Native communities for climate resilience and adaptation, including ~ 
  • $25 million in targeted climate resilience funding to the Native Hawaiian community for the first time; 
  • $12.5 million to mitigate drought impacts for Tribes; and 
  • $10 million for Tribal fish hatcheries; 
  • $150 million for Tribal home electrification; 
  • $75 million for loans to Tribes for energy development; and 
  • A tenfold increase (from $2 billion to $20 billion) in loan guarantees for Tribal energy development. 
 
We are well past the ideological argument over whether or not climate change is real. Indigenous people have experienced the impacts of climate change for some time. For example, the time Alaska Natives can seasonally harvest from the permafrost has reduced from several months to weeks—threatening cultural ways of life they have practiced for millennia. 

While we celebrate the Inflation Reduction Act nearing enactment, a continuing threat is the impact of Government Shutdowns on Indian health. Government shutdowns disproportionately impact Tribal Nations due to the lack of full and stable funding for Indian health. In September 2018, a Government Accountability Office (GOA) report noted that “uncertainty resulting from recurring [Continuing Resolutions (C.R.s)] and from government shutdowns has led to adverse financial effects on Tribes and their health care programs.” Advance appropriations would protect Indian Health from the detrimental impacts of government shutdowns. To push advance appropriations forward, Tribes must continue to tell Congress how adversely impacted they are during government shutdowns. The real impact on real lives is profound and avoidable.  

Recently, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples heard testimony on HR 5549 to support advance appropriations for Indian Health Services funding. The Senate Committee on Appropriations Chair, Patrick Leahy, announced in the Chairman’s mark, that the Senate would support Advance Appropriations for the Indian Health Service. 
 
NIHB will continue to advocate for Advance Appropriations—but we need your help. Contact your members of Congress and ask them to support this legislation. You can click here to find your member of Congress. Also, NIHB will be releasing a survey designed to understand better the impacts of the government shutdowns on Tribal Governments. NIHB will be posting the survey very soon!  

For questions, please contact NIHB Director of Government Relations Aaron Payment, EdD, at apayment@nihb.org.