Senate Committee Reauthorizes Indian Health Care Improvement Act
The Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Thursday approved by voice vote a bill (S 1057) that would reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act through fiscal year 2015 and expand some health care programs and services for American Indians, tribal organizations and urban American Indian organizations, CQ Today reports.
The bill includes an amendment by Sen. Michael Crapo (R-Idaho) that would establish an American Indian men's health office and another by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) that would authorize the creation of a telemental health demonstration project, which would include a suicide prevention program aimed at American Indian youth. The bill also includes "minor changes" to a substitution amendment by committee Chair John McCain (R-Ariz.), CQ Today reports (Govindarajan, CQ Today, 10/27).