Health
Indian Country, including the citizens of USET SPF Tribal Nations, suffers from lower health status and lower health outcomes than the rest of the United States. As long as the Indian Health Service (IHS) is drastically underfunded, this reality will remain. As the federal government fails to uphold the trust responsibility to provide health care, USET SPF has continued to advocate for the full funding of IHS, the reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, and the expansion of self-governance, as well as innovative ways to stabilize and extend funding. In addition, USET SPF is working to ensure any health-related and other research directed at Tribal communities and citizens is conducted in a way that recognizes Tribal sovereignty and protects Tribal data. While USET SPF recognizes the importance of scientific discovery and advancement, we stress that the federal government must work to prevent ethical violations against our communities and our people.
Testimony
2022
2020
- USET SPF Testimony for the Record of SCIA Legislative Hearing to receive testimony on S. 3126, S. 3264, S. 3937, S. 4079, and S. 4556 10-7-2020 - October 7, 2020
- USET SPF Written Testimony House Interior Appropriations Tribal Witness Hearings 2-3-2020 - February 3, 2020
Comments
2023
- USET SPF Comments on HHS Tribal Consultation Policy - January 27, 2023
2022
- USET SPF Comments on VA PRC Tribal Reimbursement Agreement - November 2, 2022
- USET SPF Comments on HHS Data Sharing Policy - October 27, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to HHS on ACA Section 1557 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) - October 2, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) re: Implementing a Maternal health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative - July 15, 2022
- USET SPF Comments re: National Strategy Hunger, Nutrition, and Health - July 14, 2022
- USET SPF Comments on SDPI FY23 Consultation - May 9, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to IHS re: Health Information Technology (HIT) Modernization - April 8, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to OSHA re: COVID Vaccination and Testing ETS - January 19, 2022
2021
- USET SPF Comments to IHS on ARPA, IIJA, and BBBA Funding Allocations - December 16, 2021
- USET SPF Comments on DOI Indian Boarding School Initiative - December 16, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to HHS on FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan - November 22, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to HHS in response to White House Council on Native American Affairs (WHCNAA) Nation-to-Nation Dialogue on COVID-19 - November 5, 2021
- USET SPF Comments on CDC Tribal Consultation Policy - September 7, 2021
- USET SPF Comments on Mandatory Funding Approaches for the Indian Health Service - September 1, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to NIH on Consultation - August 31, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to IHS re: RIN 0917-AA18, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – Acquisition Regulations; Buy Indian Act; Procedures for Contracting - June 21, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to IHS on Consultation - June 15, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to Treasury Regarding Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund - April 9, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to HHS Consultation Policy - March 26, 2021
- USET SPF Comments on American Rescue Plan IHS Funding - March 19, 2021
- USET SPF Comments re: VA-IHS MOU Update - March 2, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to IHS on Health IT Modernization - January 22, 2021
- USET SPF Comments re: Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act - January 8, 2021
2020
- USET SPF Comments to HHS Re: SUNSET Proposed Rule - December 4, 2020
- USET SPF Comments on IHS Buy Indian Act Consultation - November 20, 2020
- USET SPF Comments to HRSA re: Definition of Rural - October 23, 2020
- USET SPF Comments on IHS COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Draft Plan - October 21, 2020
- USET SPF Comments to HHS on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Indian Country - October 9, 2020
- USET SPF Comments to NAS re: Draft Framework for COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation - September 4, 2020
- USET SPF Comments re: Distribution of $30 Million in SDPI Funding - August 28, 2020
- USET SPF Comments re: NIH Tribal Consultation on COVID-19 Research - June 5, 2020
- USET SPF Comments re: Provider Relief Fund - May 8, 2020
- USET SPF Comments to CMS - Scope of Practice Medicare regulations - January 17, 2020
- USET SPF Comments to NIH_Draft Policy for Data Management and Sharing and Supplemental Guidance - January 10, 2020
Letters
2022
- USET SPF Letter to IHS Director Roselyn Tso re: Initial Priorities - October 7, 2022
- USET SPF Letter to SCIA re: IHS Director Nomination - March 9, 2022
2021
- USET SPF Letter in Support of the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act of 2021 - December 7, 2021
2020
- USET SPF Letter re: SCIA Consideration of H.R. 6237 PRC for Native Vets - November 25, 2020
Joint Letters
2023
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter to OMB re: Native Behavioral Health Resources Program - February 17, 2023
2022
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter to Senate HELP Committee in Support of Native Behavioral Health Provision - November 29, 2022
- Joint Tribal Organization Letters in Support of Indian Health Care Funding and Advance Appropriations - November 30, 2022
- Joint Tribal Organization Letters in Support of Advance Appropriations for IHS (March 9, 2022):
- House Committee on Appropriations and Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior
- House Committee on Natural Resources and Subcommittee for the Indigenous Peoples of the United States
- House Native American Caucus
- Speaker of the House and House Minority Leader
- Senate Committee on Appropriations and Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior
- Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
- Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter to House Appropriations re: Amending the Indian Self-Determination Act CSC Provisions - February 4, 2022
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter to House Natural Resources Committee and Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States re: Amending the Indian Self-Determination Act CSC Provisions - February 4, 2022
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter to Senate Indian Affairs Committee and Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies re: Amending the Indian Self-Determination Act CSC Provisions - February 4, 2022
2021
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter to Senate Leadership Requesting Advance Appropriations for Indian Health Care Services and Facilities - November 29, 2021
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter to Senate Leadership: Budget Reconciliation and Indian Health Care - September 30, 2021
- Joint Tribal Organization Letter: Medicaid Equity for American Indians and Alaska Natives - September 11, 2021
- USET SPF Signs Onto Inter-Tribal Organization Letter to Congress Re: COVID-19 Recovery Legislative Proposal - February 2, 2021
2020
- USET SPF Joins Letter to Make Clear the Policy Positions and Objectives of Tribal Nations Towards the Future of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) - November 13, 2020
- USET SPF Signs onto Tribal Inter-Org Letter opposing any proposal to amend the Social Security Act to extend 100% Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to States for Medicaid services furnished by non-Indian Health Care Providers (IHCPs) to AI/AN beneficiaries - July 27, 2020
- USET SPF Signs onto Tribal Inter-Org COVID Relief Letter - July 20, 2020
- USET SPF Signs onto Joint Letter re: COVID-19 Recovery Legislative Proposal (Phase #4) - April 15, 2020
- USET SPF Signs onto Joint Letter re: COVID-19 Recovery Legislative Proposal (Phase #4) - April 8, 2020
- USET SPF Signs onto Joint Letter re: Guidance for Tribal Health Systems Accessing CARES Act Funding - April 3, 2020
- USET SPF Signs onto Joint Letter re: Tribal Priorities for Health Education and Nutrition for COVID19 Stimulus Package - March 20, 2020
- USET SPF Signs onto Joint Letter to Appropriators re: Indian Country COVID-19 Priorities - March 2020
- Joint Association Letter on Public Health Extenders – Senate - February 12, 2020
- Joint Association Letter on Public Heath Extenders – House - February 12, 2020
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