THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
RESOLUTION #PSC-99-066

Title:  Insuring Coverage of Tribal, Urban, IHS-Operated and Native Hawaiians Health Care Systems in any Re-authorization of the Ryan White CARE Act

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution: and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest and largest national organization established in 1944 and comprised of representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and local Tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of NCAI; and

WHEREAS, the Ryan White CARE Act, as an omnibus bill, provides funds to cover the cost of support services for people living with HIV infection to impacted cities, states, and territories, funds community clinics, maternal-child HIV care, and underwrites the cost of expensive AIDS drugs for the states, among other things; and

WHEREAS, a small section of the Act for temporary demonstration research projects, entitled "Special Projects of National Significance," is the only section of the Act covering American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, the cost of providing care to people with HIV infection is recognized by Congress as a significant burden on the states, a burden the Ryan White CARE Act seeks to lessen; and

WHEREAS, the American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian health care systems have not been covered under the main titles of the Ryan White CARE Act that provide ongoing support.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby call upon the Congress of the United States of America to insure that the tribal, urban Indian, IHS-operated and Native Hawaiian health care systems are fully integrated into the next Ryan White CARE Act; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby call upon the Health Resources and Services Administration, Division of HIV/AIDS, to expand the present investment of funds under the Special Projects of National Significance Program (SPNS) for native America to not less than ten percent of the total SPNS budget.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 1999 Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Palm Springs Convention Center, in Palm Springs, California on October 3-8, 1999 with a quorum present.

Signed:  Susan Masten, President

ATTEST:  Juana Majel, Recording Secretary

Adopted by the General Assembly during the 1999 Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Palm Springs Convention Center, in Palm Springs, California on October 3-8, 1999.