Health

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.

 

Comments

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

 

Testimony

2023

  • USET SPF Testimony Submitted to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs for the Record of the November 8, 2023, Oversight Hearing “Fentanyl in Native Communities: Native Perspectives on Addressing the Growing Crisis”
  • USET SPF Testimony for the Record of the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Legislative Hearing on “H.R.__, The Restoring Accountability in the Indian Health Service Act of 2023” - August 10, 2023
  • USET SPF Testimony for the United States House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee for the Record of its Oversight Hearing on “Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Healthcare Delivery in Tribal Communities” - April 12, 2023
  • USET SPF Testimony for the Record of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing on “Native Communities’ Priorities for the 118th Congress” - March 22, 2023

2022

  • USET SPF Testimony Before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples of the United States for the Legislative Hearing on H.R. 5549, the Indian Health Service Advance Appropriations Act - July 26, 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

 

Letters

2024

2022

2021

2020

 

Joint Letters

2023

2022

2021

2020

 

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