[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 217 (Sunday, December 20, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1187-E1188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PASSAGE OF H.R. 6535, THE COVERAGE FOR URBAN INDIAN HEALTH PROVIDERS 
                                  ACT

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                           HON. RUBEN GALLEGO

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Sunday, December 20, 2020

  Mr. GALLEGO. Madam Speaker, I am grateful for my colleagues' support 
of my bill,

[[Page E1188]]

H.R. 6535, the Coverage for Urban Indian Health Providers Act, when it 
passed this House on Thursday, December 17, 2020. Enactment of H.R. 
6535 will address the lack of parity under the Federal Tort Claims Act 
within the Indian Health Service for urban Indian health programs, and 
by sending this bill to the Senate, and hopefully to the President, we 
arc making a necessary correction that will support delivery of health 
care to Native communities across the country.
  However, while I am proud of the passage of this measure, we must not 
forget that the same lack of parity under FTCA continues to persist for 
the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems funded through the Native 
Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act. I am therefore committed to 
standing with Native Hawaiians and their representatives in Congress, 
including Congressman Case and Senator Schatz, to ensure that Native 
Hawaiian Health Care Systems are not left behind, and will work with 
them, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the House Natural 
Resources Committee, and the Senate Committee for Indian Affairs to 
address the inequitable access to Federal Torts Claims Act coverage 
among Native health systems in the next Congress. Together, we will 
continue to fight for the trust and treaty rights and access to 
benefits for all of our country's Native peoples.

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