Senators seek restoration of urban Indian program

Wednesday, March 14, 2007  

A bipartisan group of Senators is backing the restoration of the $33 million urban Indian health care program that President Bush wants to cut.

In response, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) said she supports the program. Feinstein chairs the Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee, which handles the Indian Health Service budget.

The clinics provide services to 430,000 eligible Native Americans at 41 sites across the country. They have been rated well-managed but the White House Office of Management and Budget says urban Indians can find care at other facilities.

The cut comes amid a wider Bush administration effort to limit health care to members of recognized tribes by denying services to urban Indians, lineal descendants, terminated Indians and certain Alaska Natives.

Get the Story:
Feinstein: Congress shouldn't ax funding for urban Indian health (AP 3/13)
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Relevant Documents:
Letter to President Bush | Letter to Alberto Gonzales | DOJ White Paper

Relevant Links:
Indian Health Service - http://www.ihs.gov
National Indian Health Board - http://www.nihb.org

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