This Blog is a space for the NCUIH Policy and Legislation Department to communicate with NCUIH's stakeholders. The blog includes announcements, news and organizational accomplishments among others
Today, Senator Tom Udall spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of providing parity for urban Indian health and providing resources for all of Indian Country.
The Senate Indian Affairs Committee will host an oversight and legislative hearing on on S. 3650 on Wednesday, July 1 at 2:30pm in 562 Dirksen. The oversight hearing will cover "Evaluating the Response and Mitigation to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Native Communities”.
On June 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held the first virtual listening session for Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) to express their needs and identify gaps related to the COVID-19 response. The purpose of the session was for the CDC to hear about the needs of UIOs during this pandemic. This event was coordinated by CDC and the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH).
On June 11, 2020, Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) introduced a new bill which would reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SPDI) for five years and would raise funding for the program to $200 million per year. The bipartisan bill is cosponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Krysten Sinema (D-AZ).
On June 18, 2020 the Center for American Progress, a Washington DC based think tank, released a report on the COVID-19 response in Indian Country. The detailed report focuses on 7 key areas for addressing health inequities in Indian country during the pandemic: inclusion in COVID-19 data; addressing bureaucratic barriers; supporting tribal economies; addressing the underfunded Indian health system; developing critical infrastructure; funding tribal public safety and justice needs, and restoring tribal homelands. The report highlighted how underfunded the Indian health system was prior to COVID-19 and elaborated on how much stress Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) have been under since the pandemic began.
