Orrin Hatch: “as the Senate considers the Interior appropriations bill, H.R. 2107, I want to comment briefly about a small but very…”

“as the Senate considers the Interior appropriations bill, H.R. 2107, I want to comment briefly about a small but very important provision in the bill that will provide $100,000 in Federal money to renovate the Montezuma Creek Health Clinic in Montezuma Creek, Ut. The Montezuma Creek Clinic is located in the rural community of Montezuma Creek in the southeastern part of Utah in San Juan County. This community serves as the population center for the eastern portion of the Utah Navajo region which is home to more than 6,000 Navajos who live on and around the Navajo Reservation. This area also has one of the most critical health care shortages in Utah and, in fact, in the entire region of the western United States. Located in the heart of this community is the Montezuma Creek Health Clinic which was initially operated by the Indian Health Service [IHS] to serve the Navajo population. Today, the clinic principally serves the 6,000 Navajos as well as the non-Indian population who live in southeast Utah and northeast Arizona.”