WHEREAS, the Federal government of the United States has a unique and special relationship with American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) to provide health care as established through the U.S. Constitution Treaties with Indian Tribes, U.S. Supreme Court decisions and Federal legislation; and

WHEREAS, although the trust relationship requires the Federal government to provide for the health and welfare of Tribal nations, the Indian Health Service (IHS) remains chronically underfunded at only 56 percent of need, and American Indians and Alaska Natives suffer from among the lowest health status nationally; and

WHEREAS, the Indian Health Service, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, administers health care to 2.2 million AI/ANs residing in Tribal communities in 35 states, directly, or through contracts or compacts with Tribes and Tribal organizations under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ; and

WHEREAS, in recent years, Federal appropriation bills have not been enacted in a timely manner, thus hampering Tribal and IHS health care providers’ budgeting, recruitment, retention, provision of services, facility maintenance, and construction efforts; and