Today's hearing before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee has been moved to 10am on Friday, September 18, to account for votes on the Senate floor.

The hearing focuses on the way the Internal Revenue Service treats health benefits provided by tribes. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota), the committee chairman, said tribal members might be forced to pay taxes for health care that the federal government promised to provide.

"The committee will review the legal position of the IRS and examine implications such treatment might have on tribal self-governance and access to health care for tribal communities," according to Dorgan's office.

The following witnesses will testify on the issue:

MS. SARAH HALL INGRAM
Division Commissioner, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division, Internal Revenue Service

THE HONORABLE JEFFERSON KEEL Vice-President, National Congress of American Indians

THE HONORABLE MARK MACARRO Chairman, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians

THE HONORABLE ANDREW JOSEPH, JR Board Member, National Indian Health Board

MR. SCOTT A. TAYLOR Professor, University of St. Thomas School of Law

Committee Notice:
OVERSIGHT HEARING to examine the federal tax treatment of health care benefits provided by tribal governments to their citizens (September 17, 2009)

Related Stories:
Witness list for hearing on tribes and tax issue (9/16)
Indian Affairs Committee hearing on tax issue (9/14)