Letter to Congress on FY 2011 Funding for Indian Programs

Mar 19, 2010

March 19, 2010

Representative/Senator
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative/Senator,

Thank you for your work on the FY 2011 funding proposals for Indian Country. We are pleased to see that the president has proposed increases in a number of areas, reflecting the administration’s commitment to improving the situation for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as well as the relationship between tribal governments and the federal government.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation supports funding at least at the president’s proposed levels and we support increases in many areas. In our attached summary we highlight particular needs in school construction and maintenance, health care, and the Indian Child Welfare Act.

School construction is an especially urgent need, considering that in 2007 the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Interior, reported that failure to improve conditions in schools in Indian Country “will likely cause injury or death to children and school employees.” Since then, funding for this area has continued to be decreased. Similarly, the Indian Health Service is currently funded at approximately 50% of need, despite the fact that American Indians and Alaska Natives suffer from disproportionate rates of alcoholism mortality, diabetes, suicide, tuberculosis, and infant mortality. The Indian Child Welfare Act is another area which faces historic underfunding, having never yet been funded at the level of $35 million recommended at its inception in 1978.

As you move forward in the appropriations process for FY 2011, please consider funding increases particularly in these areas. Though the needs in Indian Country are great, the solutions are a relatively small financial burden relative to the size of the federal budget. Please see our attached summary for further thoughts.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Ruth Flower
Legislative Director
202.903.2524
flower@fcnl.org

Inez Steigerwald
Native American Advocacy Program
202.903.2511
inez@fcnl.org