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A JOINT MEMORIAL

ENDORSING THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE FEDERAL INDIAN HEALTH

CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT.

WHEREAS, the federal Indian Health Care Improvement Act

was enacted by congress in 1976 but expired in 2000 and has

not yet been reauthorized; and

WHEREAS, Native Americans in New Mexico and across the

nation experience the highest rates of cancer, obesity,

diabetes and heart disease, yet are adversely affected by

limited access to health care due to chronic underfunding of

the Indian health service; and

WHEREAS, the federal government, through treaties

entered into with tribal entities, has the primary

responsibility for providing health care to the Native

American population in New Mexico and the United States; and

WHEREAS, disparities in the health care provided to

Native Americans have been documented many times, including in

the July 2003 report of the United States commission on civil

rights, entitled "A Quiet Crisis: Federal Funding and Unmet

Needs in Indian Country" and the September 2004 report of the

United States commission on civil rights, entitled "Broken

Promises: Evaluating the Native American Health Care System";

and

WHEREAS, New Mexico and other states cannot bear sole

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fiscal responsibility for providing adequate health care to

their Native American populations; and

WHEREAS, the reauthorization of the Indian Health Care

Improvement Act would provide fiscal and other assistance

necessary to improve the health care provided to Native

Americans; and

WHEREAS, reauthorization of the Indian Health Care

Improvement Act through fiscal year 2015 could have been

accomplished by congress through the passage of S. 1057, the

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2005 that was

introduced on May 17, 2005; and

WHEREAS, a substitute for S. 1057 was reported favorably

out of the senate committee on Indian affairs on March 16,

2006 but no further senate action was taken on that bill; and

WHEREAS, reauthorization of the Indian Health Care

Improvement Act through fiscal year 2015 could have been

accomplished by congress through the passage of H.R. 5312, the

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2006 that was

introduced on May 9, 2005; and

WHEREAS, a substitute for H.R. 5312 was reported favorably

out of the house committee on resources on June 21, 2006 but

no further house action was taken on that bill;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it urge congress and the president of

the United States to prioritize the reauthorization of the

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Indian Health Care Improvement Act early in the first session

of the one hundred tenth congress; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it support the addition of

the city of Albuquerque to the list of demonstration projects

in order to support vital health care services serving urban

Native Americans; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it support language in a

reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to

encourage state-Indian health service partnerships to provide

eligibility to workers in rural areas; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it support providing access

to residential treatment centers for Native American youth and

adolescents close to their homes on reservations in light of

the alarming rates of substance abuse and suicide within this

population in New Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the president of the United States; the

secretary of the United States department of the interior; the

secretary of the United States health and human services

department; the director of the United States Indian health

service; the director of the United States office of

management and budget; the majority leader of the United

States senate; the speaker of the United States house of

representatives; members of the United States senate committee

on Indian affairs; members of the United States house of

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representatives committee on resources; the president of the

Navajo Nation; the speaker of the Navajo Nation council; the

president of the Mescalero Apache Tribe; the president of the

Jicarilla Apache Nation; the governors of the nineteen Indian

pueblos in New Mexico; the members of the New Mexico

congressional delegation; the governor; the secretary of

health; and the secretary of Indian affairs.