NIHB uses letters to government officials as an advocacy tool to ensure Tribal priorities are clearly understood and included in the official record. Our letters include our most important messages and are developed based on a process of policy analysis and input gathered from Tribal leaders, Tribal health officials and policy experts, our member organizations, and partner Tribal organizations. Some letters are submitted as public comment through regulations.gov, while others are sent directly to the relevant government officials, like the Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

How can NIHB’s letters inform my organization’s advocacy?

• See a snapshot of active priorities 

Effective advocacy is about having the right message at the right time. This page can give you a sense of what issues are moving right now – and where adding your voice might have the biggest impact.

• Get a summary of the issue & NIHB’s stance

Each advocacy letter is designed to contain the most important key facts, arguments, and “asks” for the specific issue(s). In policy terms, the “ask” is the action you want the government to take as a result of your advocacy. Since the “ask” is the most important part, you’ll often see it at the beginning of the letter and repeated again near the end. 

• Unify messaging 

When a government official hears the same message from different constituents repeatedly, they are more likely to pay attention. Amplify the message by adding your voice – you can use our letter as a model to craft and send your own. Letters from Tribes and inter-Tribal organizations carry weight.

• Watch how an issue changes over time

Over time, you sometimes see similar issues arise again. Our letter archive can help you see how the situation, focus, or messaging may have shifted. You can also see what arguments have been used for similar issues in the past, that might again be persuasive on something current.