Rep. Rangel: Making good on our promises to Native Americans

Monday, December 5, 2011  

"Today, Native Americans are forced to confront a long list of their own issues. Now more than ever, our government should uphold the federal trust responsibility and moral obligations to Native Americans. We owe this funding through exchange agreements in which the United States obtained tremendous amounts of tribal lands that make up our beautiful country. It supports the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Office of Special Trustee and its beneficiaries.

The Indian Health Service is an Operating Division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. One look at its budget proves the dismal amount of federal support they receive. The most recent statistics proved that per capita only $1,600 in health funding was appropriated per person in 2010. This is far less than what is appropriated for the rest of America, which is over $5,000 per person.

With such stark contrast in medical support it is no surprise that almost half of Native Americans live without healthcare. Native Americans have a 40 percent higher chance of being infected by HIV/AIDS than non-Hispanic whites. They are twice as likely to have diabetes. Native American infants are twice as likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Their mothers are four times more likely not to receive prenatal care until the third trimester or not receive any prenatal care. Most alarmingly Native Americans have an approximately 70 percent higher suicide rate than that of the entire general population of the United States. Their youths are the greatest victims of this suicide epidemic."

Get the Story:
Rep. Charles Rangel: Making Good to Native Americans (Indian Country Today 12/2)