Title: Indian Health Service Fiscal Year 2002 Budget

 

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest and largest national organization established in 1944 and comprised of representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and local Tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of NCAI; and,

WHEREAS, fundamental policy of Congress with respect to Indian Nations has been to encourage the policy of self-determination and self-governance since 1975; and

WHEREAS, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act is intended to transfer effective controls and operations of programs previously controlled and operated by the federal government to the management of Tribal Governments for the benefit of Indian people; and

WHEREAS, tribal governments are locally based and therefore in the best position to know the needs of the people they serve; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians, the National Indian Health Board and the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee have worked progressively to ensure that the Federal Government upholds the President’s Executive Order #13084, titled "Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments," which requires that Federal agencies consult with Tribal Governments on the annual budget and policies affecting their sovereign rights to health care and other services; and

WHEREAS, the Indian Health Service (IHS) has engaged Tribal Governments in budget formulation in every Area of the IHS and invited representatives of Tribal Governments and their health care systems to develop the Fiscal Year 2002 Budget; and

WHEREAS, the National Indian Health Board, the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee and the National Council on Urban Indian Health met collectively with the Indian Health Service and reviewed the budget recommendations developed in each of the twelve Area Budget Formulation meetings on June 7, 8 and 9, 1999, in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, there has been agreement by the National Indian Health Board, the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee and the National Council on Urban Indian Health that the Fiscal Year 2002 Indian Health Service Budget should be at least $18,002,350,000, but no less than the Director’s request of $3,731,869,000 in order to address the health care need of American Indian and Alaska Native people; and

WHEREAS, the National Indian Health Board, the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee, and the National Council on Urban Indian Health have agreed that the Director’s request for an $1.1 billion increase for the Indian Health Service in Fiscal Year 2002 is the first incremental increase necessary to reaching the $18.002 billion base funding level for IHS; and

WHEREAS, the National Indian Health Board and the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee have selected as priority the appropriation of at least $445,228,000 in Fiscal Year 2002 for Contract Support Costs, which is critically needed to ensure that Tribal Governments are successful in fulfilling the goals of Indian Self-Determination and Self-Governance.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby and is directed to advise the United States Congress, the Administration and Tribal Governments on the enactment of a budget no less than $3,731,869,000 within the Fiscal Year 2002 Interior Appropriations legislation; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby works closely with the National Indian Health Board, the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee and the National Council on Urban Indian Health in the development of testimony and assist with the education of Members of the U.S. Congress on the need for funding for Contract Support Costs that is no less than the Director’s request of $423,515,000 for Fiscal Year 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NCAI is directed to establish a meeting with the White House Office of Management and Budget prior to and after the OMB passback on the Fiscal Year 2002 IHS Budget and the National Indian Health Board, the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee, and the National Council on Urban Indian Health, to ensure consistent consultation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NCAI is directed to work with Dr. Michael Trujillo, Director of the Indian Health Service, to ensure than an ongoing process is established that provides tribal Governments the opportunity to monitor the implementation of the IHS budget to assure that the American Indian people are receiving the full benefit of all funding appropriated by the U.S. Congress through the Indian Health Service; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby request on behalf of the National Indian Health Board, the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee, and the National Council on Urban Indian Health, a series of meetings with the appropriate Committees of the U.S. Congress, The White House and it’s Office of Management and Budget, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Indian Health Service, on the efforts of Tribal Governments to secure a budget no less than $3,731,869,000 for the Indian Health Service in Fiscal Year 2002 necessary as the first increment to reaching the needs based funding level of $18,002,350,000 and to save the lives of Indian people in fulfillment of the solemn Trust Responsibility purchased in exchange for our precious lands.

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000 with a quorum present.

_____________________________

Susan Masten, President

Juana Majel, Recording Secretary

Adopted by the General Assembly during the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000.