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 4.5 years less than that for the U.S. all races population; and

WHEREAS, the public health capacity and infrastructure in Indian Country lags far behind the rest of the United States and federal investment into Tribal public health systems is already far behind and below investment in all other sectors of the public health system; and

WHEREAS, the federal government’s trust responsibility for the provision of health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives spans the entire federal government; and

WHEREAS, the President’s FY 2018 President’s budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services cuts the agency funding by $12.4 billion with major reductions across the department; and