Title: Support for the $18 Billion FY 2002 Needs-Based Indian Health Service Budget submitted by the Tribal/Indian Health Service/Urban Budget Formulation Team to the Department of Health and Human Services

 

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, the Indian Health Service is the federal agency with the responsibility to fund Indian health programs operated by Tribes and by the Indian Health Service; and

WHEREAS, the Indian Health Service consulted with Tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian health organizations including the National Congress of American Indians, the Tribal Self Governance Advisory Group and the National Indian Health Board in the development of the FY 2002 budget; and

WHEREAS, the Budget formulation team of tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian health organizations including the National Congress of American Indians, the Tribal Self Governance Advisory Group and the National Indian Health Board have all made funding mandatory cost increases their first priority; and

WHEREAS, the Budget formulation process developed a $18.0 billion FY 2002 budget (that includes a nonrecurring amount of $8.7 billion for facilities) that would fully fund all the health needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives at the amount of approximately $10 billion annually (in year 2000 dollars); and

WHEREAS, the Tribal/Indian Health Service/Urban Budget Formulation Team stated that its first priority is funding mandatory cost increases; and

WHEREAS, the FY 2002 Needs-Based budget was presented to the Department of Health and Human Services on June 9, 2000 in Washington DC; and

WHEREAS, tribes and Indian people fully support President William Jefferson Clinton’s desire to address health disparities between the health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives and the general public and believe the IHS budget should include increases of at least 18% per year for ten years (with appropriate adjustments for inflation) as an incremental way to fully fund the $10 billion in recurring costs (year 2000 dollars) in the FY 2002 needs-based budget,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians supports the $18 Billion FY 2002 Needs-Based Indian Health Service Budget submitted by the Tribal/Indian Health Service/Urban Budget Formulation Team to the Department of Health and Human Services.

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.