[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 741 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 668
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 741
[Report No. 119-767, Part I]
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
August 27, 2026
Additional sponsors: Mr. Fitzpatrick and Ms. Lofgren
August 27, 2026
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with amendments
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
August 27, 2026
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January
28, 2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
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
may--
``(A) with the approval of the Secretary, appoint a
Deputy Assistant Secretary; and
``(B) consistent with applicable law, utilize
officers and employees of the Department as 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.''.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to redesignate the
position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the
Department of Health and Human Services as Assistant Secretary
for Indian Health, and for other purposes.''.
Union Calendar No. 668
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 741
[Report No. 119-767, Part I]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
August 27, 2026
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with amendments
August 27, 2026
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed