[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 151 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 151
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 7, 2003
Mr. Nethercutt (for himself, Mr. Hayworth, Ms. DeGette, and Mr. Kildee)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
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
_______________________________________________________________________
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. OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INDIAN HEALTH.
(a) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of
Health and Human Services the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Indian Health in order to, in a manner consistent with the government-
to-government relationship between the United States and Indian
tribes--
(1) facilitate advocacy for the development of appropriate
Indian health policy; and
(2) promote consultation on matters related to Indian
health.
(b) Assistant Secretary for Indian Health.--In addition to the
functions performed on the date of enactment of this Act by the
Director of the Indian Health Service, the Assistant Secretary for
Indian Health shall perform such functions as the Secretary of Health
and Human Services may designate. The Assistant Secretary for Indian
Health shall--
(1) Report directly to the secretary concerning all
policy.--and budget-related matters affecting Indian health;
(2) collaborate with the Assistant Secretary for Health
concerning appropriate matters of Indian health that affect the
agencies of the Public Health Service;
(3) advise each Assistant Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services concerning matters of Indian health
with respect to which that Assistant Secretary has authority
and responsibility;
(4) advise the heads of other agencies and programs of the
Department of Health and Human Services concerning matters of
Indian health with respect to which those heads have authority
and responsibility; and
(5) coordinate the activities of the Department of Health
and Human Services concerning matters of Indian health.
(c) References.--Reference in any other Federal law, Executive
order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or any document of
or relating to the Director of the Indian Health Service shall be
deemed to refer to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Health.
(d) Rate of Pay.--
(1) Positions at level iv.--Section 5315 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by striking the following: ``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 such title is
amended by striking the following: ``Director, Indian Health
Service, Department of Health and Human Services.''.
(e) Duties of Assistant Secretary for Indian Health.--Section 601
of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661) is amended
in subsection (a)--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a)'';
(2) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), as so
designated, by striking ``a Director,'' and inserting ``the
Assistant Secretary for Indian Health,'';
(3) by striking the third sentence of paragraph (1), as so
designated, and all that follows through the end of the
subsection (a) of such section and inserting the following:
``The Assistant Secretary for Indian Health shall carry out the
duties specified in paragraph (2).''; and
(4) by adding after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) The Assistant Secretary for Indian Health shall--
``(A) Report directly to the secretary concerning
all policy.--and budget-related matters affecting
Indian health;
``(B) collaborate with the Assistant Secretary for
Health concerning appropriate matters of Indian health
that affect the agencies of the Public Health Service;
``(C) advise each Assistant Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services concerning
matters of Indian health with respect to which that
Assistant Secretary has authority and responsibility;
``(D) advise the heads of other agencies and
programs of the Department of Health and Human Services
concerning matters of Indian health with respect to
which those heads have authority and responsibility;
and
``(E) coordinate the activities of the Department
of Health and Human Services concerning matters of
Indian health.''.
(f) Continued Service by Incumbent.--The individual serving in the
position of Director of the Indian Health Service on the date preceding
the date of enactment of this Act may serve as Assistant Secretary for
Indian Health, at the pleasure of the President after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(g) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Amendments to indian health care improvement act.--The
Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is
amended--
(A) in section 601--
(i) in subsection (c), by striking
``Director of the Indian Health Service'' both
places it appears and inserting ``Assistant
Secretary for Indian Health''; and
(ii) in subsection (d), by striking
``Director of the Indian Health Service'' and
inserting ``Assistant Secretary for Indian
Health''; and
(B) in section 816(c)(1), by striking ``Director of
the Indian Health Service'' and inserting ``Assistant
Secretary for Indian Health''.
(2) Amendments to other provisions of law.--The following
provisions are each amended by striking ``Director of the
Indian Health Service'' each place it appears and inserting
``Assistant Secretary for Indian Health'':
(A) Section 203(a)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (29 U.S.C. 761b(a)(1)).
(B) Subsections (b) and (e) of section 518 of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1377 (b)
and (e)).
(C) Section 803B(d)(1) of the Native American
Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2991b-2(d)(1)).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on 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.
Referred to the Committee on 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.
Referred to the Committee on 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.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Executive Comment Requested from HHS.
Committee Hearings Held.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line