The Senate's approval of a $282 million increase in the Indian Health Service budget is "much better than the paltry $45.5 million increase proposed by President Bush" but is still not enough to meet the needs of Indian Country, The Sioux Falls Argus Leader says in an editorial.

"Federal analyses clearly demonstrate the IHS is horribly underfunded," the paper says. "Per capita funding is less than half what the federal government puts into health care for prison inmates."

The paper says an amendment by Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) to boost the IHS budget by $7 billion was "unrealistic." The roll call for that amendment, offered in March, was 54-42.

"Lack of adequate funding for the Indian Health Service, then, is part of the ugly circle that perpetuates poverty and an increasing need for federal dollars on reservations," the paper says.

Get the Story:
Editorial: Health funding OK, but not enough (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 4/14)

Budget Documents:
HHS Budget in Brief | HHS Performance Plan | Secretary Thompson's Remarks

Relevant Links:
Indian Health Service - http://www.ihs.gov
Department of Health and Human Services - http://www.hhs.gov

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