Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025

Greg Stanton

Democrat · AZ · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• David P. Joyce (R-OH-14)Original· 2025-01-28
• Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1)· 2025-03-14

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

2026-05-14

Source: Congress.gov

Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025 This bill elevates the current position of the Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health within HHS.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 741 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 741 To elevate the position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 28, 2025 Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. Joyce of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To elevate the position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INDIAN HEALTH. (a) Establishment.--Section 601(a) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661(a)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``tribes'' and inserting ``Tribes''; (2) in paragraph (2)-- (A) by striking ``a Director'' and inserting ``an Assistant Secretary for Indian Health (in this section referred to as the `Assistant Secretary')''; (B) by striking ``The Director shall report'' and inserting ``The Assistant Secretary shall report directly''; (C) by striking ``the Director'' and inserting ``the Assistant Secretary''; and (D) by striking ``A Director'' and inserting ``An Assistant Secretary''; (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``date of enactment of the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization and Extension Act of 2009 shall serve as Director'' and inserting ``date of enactment of the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025 shall serve as Assistant Secretary''; (4) in paragraph (4), in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking ``Director'' and inserting ``Assistant Secretary''; and (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(5) Deputy assistant secretary.--The Assistant Secretary, with the approval of the Secretary, may appoint a Deputy Assistant Secretary and may employ and prescribe the functions of such officers and employees, including attorneys, as are necessary to administer the activities of the Service.''. (b) Duties.--Section 601(c) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661(c)) is amended-- (1) in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking ``Director'' and inserting ``Assistant Secretary''; and (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ``date of enactment of the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization and Extension Act of 2009'' and inserting ``date of enactment of the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025''. (c) Authority.--Section 601(d)(1) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661(d)(1)) is amended in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking ``Director'' and inserting ``Assistant Secretary''. (d) References.--Section 601 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(e) References.--Any reference to the Director of the Indian Health Service in any Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or in any document of or relating to the Director of the Indian Health Service, shall be deemed to refer to the Assistant Secretary.''. (e) Rate of Basic Pay.-- (1) Positions at level iv.--Section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ``Assistant Secretaries of Health and Human Services (6)'' and inserting ``Assistant…

Secretaries of Health and Human Services (7)''. (2) Positions at level v.--Section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ``Director, Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.''. <all>

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