Reforming the Indian Health Service approach to hiring staff

The average lifespan of Native Americans living on reservations is roughly a decade shorter than the average American; substandard care provided through the Indian Health Service (IHS) is a direct contributor to this unacceptable fact.

It was a privilege to welcome Mr. Lee Spoonhunter of Wyoming's Northern Arapahoe tribe as one of today's witnesses. Through his testimony and answers, as well as those of the other witnesses, our committee made great progress in ensuring that upcoming legislation properly addresses the IHS issues faced by our tribal communities across the nation.