WASHINGTON DC –
The U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee will consider and vote on three bills Thursday, December 3, one of which would reauthorize and modernize basic Indian health programs and services. Following the committee’s legislative action, it will then conduct two back to back hearings, also on important health issues.
The committee’s business meeting will take place at 2:15 PM, Thursday, December 3 in Room 628 Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The hearings will immediately follow the business meeting.
The bills scheduled for action include (1) S. 1790, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act; (2) S. 1635, the 7th Generation Promise: Indian Youth Suicide Prevention Act of 2009; and (3) S 633, the Tribal Health Promotion and Tribal Colleges and Universities Advancement Act of 2009.
The first of the two hearings will explore the need to expand access to dental health care in Indian Country. The second hearing will examine the impact of chronic underfunding of contract health care on Native Americans.
WHO: U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman; Senator John Barrasso, Vice Chairman; and other members of the committee.
WITNESSES:
Hearing #1: “Oversight Hearing on Expanding Dental Health Care in Indian Country” – Dr. Ronald Tankersly, President American Dental Association, Chicago, IL; Evangeline “Angel” Dotomain, President, Alaska Native Health Board, Anchorage, AK; Patricia Tarren, Staff Pediatric Dentist, Department of Dentistry, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN.
Hearing #2: “Promises Made, Promises Broken: The Impact of Chronic Underfunding of Contract Health Services” – Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, Director of Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC; Connie Whidden, Health Director, Seminole Tribe of Florida, Hollywood, FL Mickey Peercy, Executive Director of Health Services, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Durant, OK.
WHAT: Business Meeting to consider and vote on three bills, followed immediately by two back to back hearings on Indian health.
WHEN: 2:15 PM, Thursday, December 3, 2009
WHERE: 628 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
WHY: To consider and vote on 3 bills, including the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, and two examine two important Indian health care related issues.