Ranking Member Pingree Statement at the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request Hearing for the Indian Health Service

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Ranking Member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's hearing on the fiscal year 2025 budget request for the Indian Health Service:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, Director Tso and thank you for being with us today to discuss the fiscal year 2025 budget request for the Indian Health Service.

The Indian Health Service provides health care to approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives through a network of over 600 hospitals, clinics, and health stations on or near Indian reservations. With 70 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives currently living in urban areas, the IHS funds 41 health care organizations in urban centers.

IHS relies on an annual discretionary appropriation for its funding and, sadly, this funding has not kept pace with need. The statistics on health disparities in Indian Country are sobering.

This subcommittee has been dedicated to finding solutions, both through investments in the IHS and through improvements in how funding is delivered, namely through the enactment of advance appropriations.

It is critical we continue our efforts. Your budget requests discretionary funding in FY 2025 and proposes a shift to mandatory funding beginning in FY 2026. Though I would note that mandatory funding is in the jurisdiction of the authorizers, I am interested to understand how this would improve the health and well-being of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

I look forward to discussing your request and know under the leadership of Chairman Simpson this Subcommittee will continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to honor the United States' treaty responsibilities to tribal nations.

Director Tso, thank you again for appearing before us this morning. I appreciate your testimony and answers to our questions.

I yield back.