Sponsors (3)
I'll give you the short version of this bill.
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Replaces multiple references to the 'Director' of the Indian Health Service with 'Assistant Secretary'; updates certain textual references to a 2025 Act; adds authority for a Deputy Assistant Secretary; adds a new subsection deeming references to the Director of the Indian Health Service in federal law to refer to the Assistant Secretary.
Increases the number listed for 'Assistant Secretaries of Health and Human Services' from 6 to 7 in the statutory list of positions at Executive Schedule level IV.
The bill indicates an amendment to 5 U.S.C. 5316 by striking text, but the specific text to be struck is not provided in the excerpt.
This bill would raise the head of the Indian Health Service to the rank of Assistant Secretary for Indian Health within the Department of Health and Human Services. The goal is to give Native health needs a stronger voice in top HHS leadership.
The Assistant Secretary could appoint a Deputy Assistant Secretary and hire staff needed to run the Service. All mentions of the “Director of the Indian Health Service” in federal law would be treated as referring to the new Assistant Secretary. The bill also updates executive pay scales to add this position at the Assistant Secretary level.
Key points
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.
Introduced January 28, 2025 by Greg Stanton · Last progress January 28, 2025
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs.
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.
Introduced in House