During the month of June, we posted several timely articles about the President’s proposed budget, action on appropriations bills, developments on the Bears Ears national monument, and the travels of the health care repeal/reform legislation through Congress. This Legislative Update gathers up those articles and offers a few additional updates.
Congress is intensely busy these days, and much of the legislative activity – whether intended or not – affects Indian country in profound ways. It’s also important to note that much of this activity takes place in committees other than the “Indian committees” in each house, so members of these committees are less likely to be aware of the full impact of their proposed changes on Native American communities. Staying in close touch with representatives and senators is more important in this season than in most.
Appropriations: Representatives and senators from 44 states serve on an appropriations subcommittee that will make decisions about spending on programs in Indian country. You can look up your representative and senators here to see their particular committee assignments. Then you are invited to join with the faith groups who are contacting members of the 4 key appropriations committees — see their messages here.
Bears Ears: Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior, has presented a preliminary recommendation that the Bears Ears monument be reduced in scope and protection. Although, as in any community, there are dissenting individual voices, the tribal governments of the five tribes with ties to the Bears Ears area are united and firm in their support of the monument. A comment period was extended to July 10; already more than 685,000 comments in favor of the monument have been submitted. See the update on Bears Ears here, along with suggested actions that you can take.
Health Care Repeal/Replace: Congress members returned home with a flea in their ear about health care “reform.” They had clearly heard from worried constituents. The Senate’s new bill, kept under wraps for weeks and finally released on June 22, would leave a wide swath of people with no access to affordable care. When coupled with proposed cuts in the Medicaid program, millions will be left out and Indian Health Services would struggle to survive. Read the health care repeal/replace update here.
Indian Health Service Reform: Replacing the Affordable Care Act and cutting Medicaid aren’t the only games in town. The Senate Committee and the House Subcommittee have followed through on their multiple oversight hearings on the Indian Health Service (IHS) by introducing legislation to increase accountability and improve management, staff recruitment, and retention within the IHS. Read about House and Senate hearings on these IHS reform bills.
Other Brief Updates: There’s news on the NEST Act (supporting scholarships and loan forgiveness for teachers in Indian schools), and there are new bills to reauthorize Indian housing programs, and to restrict water rights settlements without prior Congressional consent. There are salutary amendments proposed for a wage-subsidy bill that would require a close look at employment prospects in Indian country and other rural areas.
Rep. Grijalva (AZ) has reintroduced the “Save Oak Flats” Act (to repeal a land exchange that impacts traditional cultural sites), and Sen. Heinrich (NM) has reintroduced the “Safeguard Objects of Traditional Patrimony” or “STOP” Act to increase penalties for illegal taking and sale of cultural objects.
And don’t miss the “Short Stories on the President’s Budget Proposal” which were featured in the Special May-June Budget edition of the Legislative Update.
You can read all the articles together here, or select your favorites below.
Watching Congress on Native American Issues
Selected bills from the 115th Congress of interest in Indian Country