WHEREAS, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), established in 1972, serves all Federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribal governments by advocating for the improvement of health care delivery to AI/ANs, as well as upholding the Federal government’s trust responsibility to AI/AN Tribal governments; and

WHEREAS, the unmet health needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives are severe and the health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives is far below that of the general population of the United States, resulting in an average life expectancy for American Indians and Alaska Natives 4.2 years less than that for the U.S. all races population; and

WHEREAS, the historic allocation of resources appropriated to the Indian health system has created a disparity and underfunding for the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the United States; and

WHEREAS, tobacco use is disproportionally high within Tribal communities across the nation and this funding supports crucial tobacco cessation programs, including tobacco prevention and tobacco quit lines. American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have higher smoking prevalence than any other racial or ethnic subgroups, with 29.2 percent of adults and 24.6 percent of youth being active smokers. Recognizing the impact tobacco use has on the Native American population; and