Policy Recap for August 2021
|
|
The U.S. House of Representatives is working to approve the amended version of H.R.3684, which is now known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bill makes significant investments in roads, transportation, water, climate change mitigation, and broadband connectivity by appropriating approximately $160 billion to Indian Country over the next five years. There is also the potential to bolster that investment with $20 billion dollars over the next nine years to be appropriated through the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs through S.Con.Res.14. Each bill is all encompassing, and includes the larger goals of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan. Continuing intense negotiations are taking place as of the date of this publication. Please continue to follow AIPI for updates on further developments as well as additional analysis.
Important Federal Register notices were introduced this month with deadlines occurring in the first few days of September. These include notices for appointments to commissions and councils, and applications for several healthcare related grants. For additional information, please check the full list of notices to see other important final rule notices and upcoming consultation notices.
|
|
Federal Policy Update
The most significant development this month in Congress has been the work to pass the extensive and momentous Infrastructure bill H.R.3684 and the Introduction of budget resolution S.Con.Res.14. Each bill would make historic investments in Indian Country over the next few years. These two bills, alone, would begin to address many of the long-standing challenges related to surface Infrastructure, water, climate change mitigation, and broadband connectivity. In addition, there is also important legislation relating to Native languages that are close to getting through the legislative process.
To view the full list and analyses of these bills, click here.
August 10, 2021 – H.R.3684, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Introduced by Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR-04). Link to bill.
-
This bill was previously known as the “INVEST in America Act” but has been renamed as the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act”. The bill’s amendments now include $160 billion appropriated towards Indian Country needs over five years. These funds include $15 billion in Indian Country specific funding as well as $146 billion in grants for Tribes and Tribal entities. The funding addresses needs in roads, transportation, water, climate change mitigation, and broadband internet connectivity.
August 11, 2021 – S.Con.Res.14, A Concurrent Resolution Setting forth the Congressional Budget for the U.S. Government for FY 2022 and setting forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for FY 2023 through FY 2031. Introduced by Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT). Link to resolution.
-
This concurrent resolution establishes the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2022, sets forth budgetary levels for FY 2023 through FY 2031, and provides reconciliation instructions for legislation that increases the deficit. The resolution includes reconciliation instructions that direct several House and Senate committees to report legislation that will increase the deficit over FY2022-FY2031 by no more than an amount specified for each committee. The amount specified for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is $20.5 billion.
Federal Administrative & Regulatory Actions
There are important notices this month for upcoming grants related to health aide and epidemiology programs under the Indian Health service that are due in the first few days of September. There are also important notices to appoint new members to commissions and councils, as well as notices for final rules and upcoming Tribal consultations.
To view the full list of notices, click here.
July 30, 2021 – Indian Health Service; Notice; Community Health Aide Program: Tribal Planning & Implementation. Link to Federal Register Notice.
-
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting applications for grants for the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) Tribal Planning and Implementation (TPI) program. The national CHAP will provide a network of health aides trained to support licensed health professionals while providing direct health care, health promotion, and disease prevention services. The purpose of the TPI program is to support the planning and implementation for Tribes and Tribal Organizations positioned to begin operating a CHAP or support a growing CHAP in the contiguous 48 states.
-
For further information, contact Paul Gettys, Acting Director, DGM, at paul.gettys@ihs.gov, or by telephone at (301) 443-2114 or (301) 443-5204.
July 30, 2021 – Indian Health Service; Notice; Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and Urban Indian Communities. Link to Federal Register Notice.
-
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting applications for a cooperative agreement for Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) serving American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes and Urban Indian communities. The purpose of this IHS cooperative agreement is to strengthen public health capacity and to fund Tribes, Tribal organizations, and UIOs, and inter-Tribal consortia in identifying relevant health status indicators and priorities to support Public Health interventions that reduce morbidity and mortality in the population using sound epidemiologic principles.
-
For further information, contact Paul Gettys, Acting Director, DGM, at paul.gettys@ihs.gov, or by telephone at (301) 443-2114 or (301) 443-5204.
|
|
|
