John Thune: “I want to pick up where I left off regarding the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which is the pending business…”

“I want to pick up where I left off regarding the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which is the pending business before the Senate. As I stated earlier, we will be having a series of votes tomorrow on a number of amendments. One, I think, improves this bill and addresses an issue which is important to me and a number of my colleagues. The amendment is offered by our colleague from Louisiana, Senator Vitter, amendment No. 3896. If the amendment is adopted, it would codify Federal Indian health care service funds. I hope that is an amendment that will be adopted to the bill. I think that is important to have. Also, as we consider these final amendments, I hope we can also see action in the other body, the House of Representatives, because the Senate acting on this is long overdue. It is critically important to the tribes I represent that we get an Indian Health Care Improvement Act reauthorization in place.”