Dingell wants to revive Indian health bill

WASHINGTON, June 7 (UPI) -- U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., Thursday called for reauthorization of a key American Indian health bill.

The Indian Health Care Improvement Act was first passed in 1976. For the past 10 years the bill has not been reauthorized by Congress, which means the bill cannot be updated to address key issues of access and local control.

Reauthorization bills have been introduced in the past four Congresses, but none made it into law.

"When their lands were originally ceded, the Federal Government promised that these Native Americans would receive decent healthcare services," Dingell said at a health subcommittee hearing.

"Unless we address the serious deficiencies in the current Indian Health Service programs, especially as they relate to accessing mental health services and urban health centers, we have failed to make good on our promise to the American Indian and Alaskan Native people," he said.