HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

INCREASE FUNDING FOR THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES

WHEREAS, the Administration’s FY 1999 budget calls for $2.118 billion in program level authority for the Indian Health Service, an increase of $44 million; and

WHEREAS, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee has studied the needs, population growth, inflationary costs, and other factors and concluded that an even larger increase of $125 million is needed; and

WHEREAS, the National Indian Health Board has also evaluated the needs for the Indian Health Service and has concluded the increase should be $439 million for FY 1999; and

WHEREAS, the Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee has been given almost no increased budget authority for its programs for FY 1999, despite increases in the population to be served by many of these same programs; and

WHEREAS, overall federal spending patterns for Indians and non-Indians have been studied by the Library of Congress for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and conclude that the gap between spending on Indians and non-Indians has widened steadily since 1985; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors supports an increase in the appropriations for FY 1999 for the Indian Health Service which will assist the IHS in its efforts to serve its increasing population with adequate health care and help make up for some chronically unmet needs for health care in Indian communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the total program level authority for the Indian Health Service for FY 1999 be set at $2.537 billion, the amount targeted by the Indian National Health Board.