Sen. Paul proposes to eliminate all funding for BIA, cut IHS in half

Wednesday, February 9, 2011  

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), a new member of Congress, wants to get rid of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and cut the Indian Health Service budget in half.

Paul, who was supported by the Tea Party, introduced S.162, the Cut Federal Spending Act of 2011, on January 25. One part of the bill is labeled "Repeal" and states that "All accounts and programs of the Bureau of Indian Affairs are defunded effective on the date of enactment of this Act."

Another section for the IHS states: "Amounts made available to the Indian Health Service for fiscal year 2011 are reduced by $650,000,000."

“The president would oppose efforts to cut off all funds for the Bureau of Indian Affairs—such a step would severely impede its ability to fulfill its responsibilities to American Indians and Alaska Native," a spokesperson for the Interior Department told Indian Country Today.

Get the Story:
Sen. Rand Paul Set to Ignore Treaty Obligations to Indians (Indian Country Today 2/8)
Obama Won’t Kill BIA or IHS (Indian Country Today 2/9)