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President Releases FY 2017 Budget Request to Congress - Proposes $5.2 billion for IHS
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On February 9, 2016, the President Released his FY 2017 Budget Request to Congress. This yearly process kicks off the annual budget process in Congress. Republican leaders in Congress have noted that this proposal will be considered "dead on arrival," as they consider many of the proposals contained in the budget to be too progressive. However, funding for Tribal programs, and especially Tribal health, continue to garner bipartisan support in Congress and the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) will advocate that many of the important policy and funding proposals that are specifically targeted to benefit Indian Country will remain in the final FY 2017 enacted budget.
For FY 2017, the Administration has proposed $5.2 billion in discretionary funding for the Indian Health Service (IHS), which is an increase of $377 million (7.28%) from the FY 2016 enacted level. For FY 2017, the Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup requested $6.2 billion for IHS.
Major increases come in the areas of Mental Health, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and Healthcare Facilities and Construction. The budget also continues to fully fund Contract Support Costs (CSC) ($800 million) and proposes that CSC be included as mandatory spending starting in FY 2018.
The FY 2017 request for IHS includes a legislative proposal to permanently fund the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) at $150 million/ year. The current authorization for the program expires on September 30, 2017.
- For NIHB's detailed analysis of the FY 2017 budget request and its impacts on Indian Health please click here.
- For more information from the Indian Health Service on the FY 2017 Budget Request click here.
- For more information about the FY 2017 budget request at the entire Department of Health and Human Services click here.
- For a summary from the White House about their priorities for Indian Country click here.
For more information, please contact Caitrin Shuy, NIHB's Director of Congressional Relations, at (202) 507-4085 or [email protected].
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