Alex Padilla: “I rise to introduce the bipartisan ``Urban Indian Health Providers Facilities Improvement Act.'' This legislation honors…”

“I rise to introduce the bipartisan ``Urban Indian Health Providers Facilities Improvement Act.'' This legislation honors our Federal trust responsibility by providing parity to Urban Indian Organizations that provide culturally competent health care to Native Americans living in urban areas. This legislation would remove the unjust and arbitrary restriction that prevents Urban Indian Organizations from using appropriated funds for construction and facilities upgrades. This restriction is particularly untenable in the midst of the COVID- 19 pandemic. Current law only permits the Indian Health Service to make construction or facilities funds available to Urban Indian Organizations to assist them in meeting or maintaining a now-obsolete accreditation standard. This limitation prevents Urban Indian Organizations from using appropriated funding for facilities, maintenance and improvement, sanitation, equipment, and other necessary construction upgrades, which limits their ability to provide the quality health care that Native Americans deserve. Urban Indian Organizations are the only tribal health organization burdened by this restriction. This legislation would provide parity to Urban Indian Organizations and improve the safety and quality of care for urban Indians. California is home to one of the largest populations of Native Americans, and Los Angeles and San Francisco have two of the largest urban Native American populations in the country.…”