Bipartisan, bicameral push yields legislation to increase Tribal public health access, preparedness

With the introduction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act, a bipartisan collection of senators has made a bicameral push to increase Tribal public health security and preparedness through greater access to CDC resources.

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and U.S. Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Tom Cole (R-OK) created the legislation to remove a particular restriction on tribal nations. Currently, they are not able to apply for the CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement program, which gives grants to local public health departments to aid emergency preparation.

“The federal government unjustly excluded tribal nations from public health prevention and mitigation resources that could have helped Indian Country prepare for the disproportionately devastating effects of the pandemic,” Warren said. “Our bill would ensure tribal nations have equal access to the CDC PHEP program funding for future public health emergencies.”

Supporters of the bill described the CDC PHEP program as a critical source of funding for eligible state, local and territorial public health departments. The CDC designed that program to help those departments create and improve their responses to public health threats, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds from PHEP can help with staffing, supplies, planning, training, and exercises.

“As we have learned over the last few years throughout the coronavirus pandemic, preparedness is key to keeping communities healthy,” Cole, co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus and member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, said. “Just as individual states and local governments can receive grants for pandemic preparedness from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tribal governments deserve the same access.”

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked particular havoc on tribal nations, and while many took heavy measures to maintain public health, inequities in access to resources didn’t help their efforts. In addition to allowing tribes and affiliated organizations to apply to the PHEP program, the CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act would also require the CDC to fund at least 10 tribes for emergency preparedness and set aside at least 5 percent of PHEP funds for tribes. Additionally, tribes would no longer need to match funds, and many of their reporting requirements would be waived.

The bill is backed by the National Indian Health Board, the National Congress of American Indians, and the National Council of Urban Indian Health. Cosponsors included U.S. Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).