Native Organizers Alliance - Sign to increase Native participation in federal decision-making about healthcare.

 

Patricia, In exchange for stealing our land, the federal government agreed to fund healthcare, housing, education, nutrition, and other programs for Native peoples. But these programs are severely underfunded, and the government wants to make even more cuts. Last week, we sent thousands of messages urging Congress to reject the president’s recently proposed cuts to crucial public programs. These cuts would harm Native health. This week, we’re lifting up another step Congress can take to uphold its responsibilities to Tribal members: passing the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act, which would elevate the Indian Health Service Director’s position to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health within the Department of Health and Human Services. This is an important step toward fulfilling Natives’ legal right to healthcare nationwide. It would increase Native representation and authority in federal decision-making about healthcare, bringing us closer to fulfilling our treaty rights and our inherent sovereignty. Please take a moment to urge your U.S. Senators and Representative to uphold their responsibilities to Native peoples and pass this bipartisan legislation to prioritize Native healthcare within the U.S. government. SIGN AND SEND Last year’s cuts to Medicaid will harm 700,000 Native people, including 60% of all Native children and two out of every five elders. Some hospitals and clinics are starting to close due to last year’s cuts to Medicaid, and more are at risk. The denial of the right to healthcare is a crisis for all who live on Turtle Island. These are clear violations of our treaty rights and all people’s right to healthcare. We’re speaking out and building the political power that we need to secure Native rights and human rights on Turtle Island. That includes improving and expanding funding for the Indian Health Service (IHS), which is chronically underfunded and understaffed. In 2024, Tribal leaders, organizations, and Urban Indian Health programs determined that the IHS needs at least $63 billion each year. We won’t get there unless the IHS and other Native health programs are fully funded by the U.S. federal government. One important step is passing the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act. It’s bipartisan, so it has a real chance at passing in the Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives -- if we demand it! Can you send a quick message to the people representing you in Congress, asking them to pass the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act to uphold Tribal treaty rights and increase Native participation in federal decision-making about healthcare? Hawwih (thank you) for fighting for the right to healthcare, Judith LeBlanc (Caddo) Executive Director POWER OUR MOVEMENT

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