Trump administration goes on the record for Indian Country funding

Wednesday, September 25, 2019  

Does the Trump administration support funding Indian programs ahead of time?

In recent months, it's been hard to tell, as key officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service refused to say whether they wanted advance appropriations for their respective agencies even though the idea enjoys bipartisan support and has been a major priority for tribes for several years.

But a hearing on Wednesday afternoon finally brings the Trump team's views into the spotlight. Judging from the written testimony to the House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, it looks like the executive branch isn't outright supporting legislation to provide funding to the BIA and the IHS ahead of time.

Yet neither Michael Weahkee, the highest-ranking official at the IHS, nor Jason Freihage, who oversees management issues for the BIA, are offering much resistance to H.R.1128, the Indian Programs Advanced Appropriations Act, or H.R.1135, the Indian Health Service Advance Appropriations Act. Their prepared statements instead explain why such legislation would be helpful to their agencies and to the tribal communities they serve, particularly in light of the record-breaking government shutdown that hindered operations earlier this year.

"Advance appropriations could mitigate the effects of budget uncertainty on the health care programs operated across the Indian health system," Weahkee states. "The IHS could disburse funds more quickly, which could enable IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health program managers to effectively and efficiently manage budgets, coordinate care, and improve health quality outcomes for American Indians and Alaska Natives. This planning stability could reduce unnecessary contract and administrative costs.

"Funding continuity could also alleviate concerns from potential recruits, especially health care providers, about the stability of their employment," Weahkee continues. "Events like the lapse in appropriations experienced earlier this year undermine our efforts to recruit and retain a quality workforce and provide a continuum of care that our patients deserve."

Freihage, who serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, offers a similar message, though his written testimony isn't as specific as Weahkee's.

"Any lapse in appropriations creates challenges within Indian Country," Freihage states. "Because of these challenges and the need to meet our trust responsibilities, after the FY 2019 lapse in appropriations, Indian Affairs identified internal lessons learned from our experience, and collected input from tribes on impacts within their communities."

The hearing takes place at 2pm Eastern in Room 1324 of the Longworth House Office Building. The witness list follows:

Advance Appropriations: Protecting Tribal Communities from the Effects of a Government Shutdown (September 25, 2019)