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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2008)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS Laptops for College Students Elders’ Council Meeting As some of you may recall, we were only able to fund 13 laptops for college students this last year. This was short quite a few from what is funded annually. We were able to identify some additional funding and obtain ap proval from the Tribal Council to pur chase an additional 27 laptops for college students. The same applica No meeting in April Elder Honor Day Circle of Wisdom April 1, 2008 • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please contact Angela Ramirez at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1225; 541-444-8225; or angelar@ctsi.nsn.us tion process applies for awarding these computers. If you need an application form, you can visit any tribal office, down load one from the Tribe's Web site at www.clsi.nsn.us. or you can call Tina Retasket at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1210. or 541-444-8210 to have one mailed to you. They will be distributed on a first- come. first-served basis until gone. Health Bill Includes Hard-Fought Wins for Oregon Tribes hy Sen. Gordon //. Smith (Oregon) I am pleased to report that the United States Senate has taken a sig nificant step to improve the delivery and quality of health care for Indian Country. Although this move is long overdue. I hope that we are finally making good on our responsibility to provide Native Americans with the health care they need and deserve. The U.S. Senate recently took an historic step in passing legislation to modernize the Indian Health Care Im provement Act (IHCIA), the federal law that provides the framework for deliv ery of health care services to tribes across the country. Originally enacted in 1976, IHCIA has gone through sev eral revisions to keep pace with the evolving health care needs within the Native American community. How ever, the Act has not been updated in more than 16 years and the health oi many in Indian Country has suffered for it. The Senate's move to renew and improve the IHCIA will facilitate the modernization of the system, such as prevention and behavioral health pro grams, for the approximately 1.8 mil lion Native Americans who need it. Working with tribal health officials in Oregon and across the country. I was also successful in passing an amend ment to more equally distribute health care facilities funding. Currently, the vast majority of federal funding for construction and modernization of tribal health care facilities goes to tribes in less than 10 states. Oregon, among many other states, has never received funds to build an Indian Health Service (IHS) hospital. My provision, which passed by a vote of 56-38. would al low IHS to utilize an Area Distribution Fund to distribute a portion of health facility construction dollars to all 12 IHS Areas throughout the country. With passage of my amendment, regardless of where a tribe is located, the government will fulfill its respon sibility to improve access and care throughout all of Indian Country with the fair and equitable distribution of facilities funding. Of course, this vic tory would not have been possible without the efforts of each and every one of Oregon's tribal members who worked with tribes and tribal health boards from across the U.S. to reach a winning agreement. I thank you for your support and for your hard work. My job. however, is not done. I want IHS facility funds to grow and to flow to every Tribal Area that needs them. I have already written to the Ad ministration in support of a 15 percent increase in IHS funding and I intend to follow through on that request. My intention and hope is for these new funds to make their way to the 43 tribes in the Pacific Northwest. The final Indian Health bill also includes much-needed help for Ameri can Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) veterans of federally recognized tribes. My legislation, the American Indian Veteran Health Care Improvement Act, was included in the larger Indian Health Care Improvement Act to encourage collaboration between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide greater access to health care services for AI/AN veterans. This will also ensure that AI/AN veterans eligible for VA health care benefits de livered by IHS, an Indian tribe or tribal organization will not be liable for any out-of-pocket expenses. More than 30 years ago. the fed eral government saw the great need and had the wisdom to sign into law the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Enactment of that law was a promise made to American Indians that the fed eral government would work to im prove their health status. Renewing this Act is a reaffirmation of that commit ment and proves that we understand there is work yet to be done. It is my hope that this bill will swiftly receive the President's signature so all tribes have the tools they need to improve the health of their communities. Tristen John helps remove tree limbs in early March as trees are cut down to make room for the cultural repository on Government Hill in Siletz. Can You Play Taps? : • • Seeking a talented tribal member to play Taps at the Memorial Day Cer- * emony on May 26, 2008, at 1 I a.m. in Siletz. If interested, please contact • Celesta Lee, Tribal Council assistant secretary, at 541-444-8205 or 800-922- Z 1399. ext. 1205. General Council Meeting Memorial Day Ceremony May 3, 2008 May 26, 2008 11 a.m. Government Hill Siletz, Oregon Siletz Tribal Community Center 1 p.m. 4 p.m. Siletz, Oregon Procession to Veterans Memorial Honor Guard Agenda Invocation Welcome - Delores Pigsley The Lord's Prayer - Siletz Royalty Memorial Day Address Presentation of Flowers Gun Salute - Honor Guard Taps Call to Order Invocation Flag Salute Programs: Head Start Death Benefits Tribal Member Concerns Chairman's Report Announcements Adjourn • a • • Closing Lunch at the Tribal Community Center Provided by the Cultural Heritage Committee - Noon April 2008 Siletz News • 5
