*Administration of Barack H. Obama, 2010 *

**Statement on the Reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act **

*March 23, 2010 *

Earlier today I signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health insurance reform bill passed by Congress. In addition to reducing our deficit, making health care affordable for tens of millions of Americans, and enacting some of the toughest insurance reforms in history, this bill also permanently reauthorizes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which was first approved by Congress in 1976.

As a Senator, I cosponsored this Act back in 2007 because I believe it is unacceptable that Native American communities still face gaping health care disparities. Our responsibility to provide health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives derives from the nation-to-nation relationship between the Federal and tribal governments. And today, with this bill, we have taken a critical step in fulfilling that responsibility by modernizing the Indian health care system and improving access to health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

NOTE: H.R. 3590, approved March 23, was assigned Public Law No. 111–148.

*Categories:* Statements by the President : Indian Health Care Improvement Act, reauthorization*.*

*Subjects:* American Indians and Alaska Natives : Health care system, improvement efforts; American Indians and Alaska Natives : Indian Health Care Improvement Act; American Indians and Alaska Natives : Public health issues; American Indians and Alaska Natives : Tribal nations, relations with the Federal Government; Budget, Federal : Deficit; Health and medical care : Cost control reforms; Health and medical care : Health insurance reforms; Legislation, enacted : Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201000198.