COVID-19 Tribal Advocacy Tools - National Indian Health Board

Advocacy Tools

Resources and information on COVID-19 related legislation in Congress. See our legislative action alerts, analysis of funding proposals, current advocacy priorities and template letters to send to your Member of Congress. View correspondence letters the National Indian Health Board sends to federal agencies.

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NIHB Advocacy for Indian Health

2021 NIHB Legislative and Policy Agenda

Roadmap for the Biden Administration to Advance American Indian/Alaska Native Health and Public Health

Testimony of the National Indian Health Board for the US Department of Health and Human Services 23rd Annual Tribal Budget and Policy Consultation 4/7/21

2022 NIHB Legislative and Policy Agenda

Analysis of COVID Phases 1-5 Funding Proposals

NIHB Analysis of the American Rescue Plan 3/8/21

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Comprehensive Resource Guide on American Rescue Plan

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs FAQ on American Resource Plan

American Rescue Plan Summary

Phase 4 House Native American Caucus Letter on next COVID-19 Relief Package Legislative Priorities 7/24/20

House Native American Caucus Letter on COVID 4 Package Legislative Priorities

Sample Letter of Support for House Native American Caucus COVID 4 Package Legislative Priorities

Families in Crisis Proposal for C4: 05/18/20

NIHB Analysis of Tribal Provisions in the HEROES Act 5/15/20

Third Party Reimbursement Fact Sheet

Phase 3 Funding Presentation 3/26/20

Phase 2 Funding Presentation 3/17/20

NIHB Analysis of CARES Act Health Provisions

House Native American Caucus Tribal Priorities in COVID-19 Phase 3 Funding

Legislative Action Alerts

The US Senate Passes the American Rescue Plan Act

Congress Seals Massive Spending/Stimulus Deal

Senate Releases All Twelve Appropriations Bills for Fiscal Year 2021

Congress Sends Short-Term FY 2021 Continuing Resolution to President's Desk

House Introduces Short-Term Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 2021

House Appropriations Committee Releases FY 2021 Report with Line Item Totals for IHS Budget

House Releases FY 2021 Budget for Indian Health Service

House Releases $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

Congress Agrees to 8.3 Billion Coronavirus Emergency Funding 3/4/20

Senator Udall Introduced Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Bill 3/12/20

Congress Introduces Measures to Address Tribal Public Health Needs 3/17/20

Letters and Testimonies to Congress

NIHB Testimony to Senate Finance Committee "COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned" 5/19/21

NIHB Testimony to Senate Committee on Indian Affairs "Examining the COVID-19 Response in Native Communities: Native Health Systems One Year Later," 4/14/21

NIHB Testimony to House Natural Resources Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States: A Year in Review: The State of COVID-19 in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Communities - Lessons Learned for Future Action," 3/23/21

NIHB Testimony to House Energy & Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health, “The Future of Telehealth: How COVID-19 is Changing the Delivery of Virtual Care” 3/2/21

Letter of Support to Senate Committee on Indian Affairs 2/12/21

Letter of Support to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Pallone 2/12/21

NIHB Testimony to House Energy & Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health, “Road to Recovery: Ramping Up COVID-19 Vaccines, Testing, and Medical Supply Chain” 2/3/21

Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership of Tribal Priorities 2/2/21

NIHB Letter to Speaker of the House 1/29/21

NIHB Letter to Senate Majority Leader 1/29/21

Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding COVID-19 Stimulus Funds for Indian Country 12/4/20

NIHB Testimony to House Appropriations Subcommittee for Interior, Environment and Related Agencies on Indian Country COVID-19 Response Update 9/30/20

Testimony to Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Legislative Hearing on S. 3126, S. 3264, S. 3937, S. 4079, & S. 4556 9/23/20

Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership for extension of SDPI and other Health provisions 9/11/20

Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership on Pandemic Relief Funding to Indian Country 9/8/20

riations Leadership on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution 7/30/20

Joint Letter to Senate Finance Committee Opposing Policy Changes to Medicaid FMAP 7/27/20

Testimony to US House of Representatives Committee on Veterans' Affairs Legislative Hearing on H.R. 4908 and H.R. 2791 7/23/20

Joint Letter on Tribal Priorities for COVID-19 Relief Package 7/20/20

Testimony to US House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States for a Legislative Hearing on H.R. 637, 7/22/20

Testimony to US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee on Addressing the Urgent Needs of Our Tribal Communities, 7/8/20

Testimony to Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing on 'Evaluating the Response and Mitigation to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Native Communities' 7/1/20

Testimony to Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Telehealth: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic 6/26/20

Testimony to House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health on Health Care Inequality: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 and the Health Care System 6/25/20

Testimony to Committee on Veterans' Affairs Joint Subcommittee on the use of Telehealth during the COVID-19 Pandemic Response 6/23/20

NIHB Testimony to the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee 6/11/2020

NIHB Testimony to House Ways and Means Committee on The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color 6/10/20

NIHB Letter to Senate Leadership on COVID-19 Relief Package 6/2/20

Letter to Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) on Mental and Behavioral Health 05/14/2020

Joint Letter to Senate Leadership on COVID-19 Infrastructure Recovery Legislative Proposal (Phase #4) 5/11/20

Joint Letter to House Leadership on COVID-19 Infrastructure Recovery Legislative Proposal (Phase #4) 5/11/20

Joint Letter to Senate Leadership on COVID Phase 4 Package Priorities Bulleted List

Joint Letter to Senate Leadership on COVID Phase 4 Package Priorities Legislative Text

Joint Letter to House Leadership on COVID Phase 4 Package Priorities Bulleted List

Joint Letter to House Leadership on COVID Phase 4 Package Priorities Legislative Text

Letter to Senate Leadership 3.18.20

Letter to Speaker of the House and House Minority Leader 3.18.20

Senate Appropriations Committee Phase 3 Coronavirus Supplemental Appropriations Summary

Letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committees 3.16.20

NIHB Correspondence with Federal Agencies

NIHB Comment on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Vaccine Mandate for Providers 12/21/21

NIHB Letter to Treasury Regarding Title VI and Tribal Nations 11/5/21

NIHB Comment on Indian Health Service Consultation on American Rescue Plan Act Distribution

NIHB Letter to US Commission on Civil Rights Regarding COVID-19 Report Withholding 11/10/20

Joint Letter to Secretary Azar Regarding Vaccine Deadline 10.30.20

NIHB Comment on IHS Draft Vaccine Plan (10/21/20)

Letter to Indian Health Service on SDPI Technical Assistance 9/10/20

NIHB Comments on National Academies of Science Draft COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan 9/4/20

Joint Letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration Regarding Provider Relief Fund 8/31/20

NIHB Letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 8/28/20

NIHB Letter to HRSA Administrator Engels Requesting Tribal Consultation on the Provider Relief Fund 8/6/20

NIHB Letter to President Trump on Tribal COVID-19 Health Policy Priorities 8/6/20

NIHB Written Testimony to US Commission on Civil Rights 7/17/20

NIHB Letter to Secretary Azar Regarding Extension of Public Health Emergency – July 15, 2020

Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG) Comment to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid on COVID-19 Telehealth Regulation CMS-5531-IFC 7/7/2020

Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG) Comment to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid on COVID-19 Telehealth Regulation CMS-1774-IFC 6/1/2020

NIHB Letter to President Trump Requesting to Waive Cost-Share Requirements for Tribal Public Assistance Recipients

NIHB Letter to President Trump and Secretary Azar on Inclusion of IHS Director on COVID-19 Task Force 04/30/20

NIHB Letter to HHS Secretary Azar on Targeted Relief Funding 4/23/20

NIHB Letter to Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid on COVID-19 Relief 4/16/2020

Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG) Letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid on COVID-19 Relief 4/11/2020

NIHB Letter to US Department of Health and Human Services Regarding 3rd COVID-19 Funding Package 4/3/20

Joint Letter to US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Azar 4.2.20

Joint Letter to United States Department of Agriculture on COVID-19 Nutrition

NIHB Letter to US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Azar 3/7/20

Template Letters and Resolutions

Sample Tribal Resolution to Declare a Public Health Emergency

Sample Support Letter for Special Diabetes Program for Indians to House of Representatives 05/28/20

Sample Support Letter for Special Diabetes Program for Indians to Senate 05/28/20

Sample Tribal FMAP letter strongly opposing extension of 100% FMAP to states when delivering services to eligible American Indians/Alaska Natives

Sample Support Letter for the Tribal Health Data Improvment

Contact Us

To reach the NIHB COVID-19 Response Team, please contact [email protected].

For media inquiries, please contact Ned Johnson at [email protected].

This website is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of financial assistance awards totaling $2,000,000, Tribal Capacity Building for COVID-19 Disease Control, and $4,000,000, Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Through Tribal Health Departments, with 80 percent funded by CDC/HHS, and 20 percent funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.