New Mexico governor backs Indian health care push

Wednesday, February 21, 2007  

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) is urging the state's congressional delegation to support the reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Richardson wrote a letter to the delegation on Tuesday. He said the bill would improve health care for tribal members who live on and off reservations in the state.

"In several meetings held over the last year and a half with New Mexico's 22 federally recognized Indian pueblos, tribes and nations, one issue came across loud and clear: we must improve Native American health care," Richardson said, according to the Associated Press.

Richardson also cited President Bush's fiscal year 2008 budget cuts. The White House is proposing to eliminate the $33 million urban Indian health program and cut funding for maintenance and construction of new health facilities.

Richardson, a former congressman, is seeking the Democratic nomination for president in 2008.

Get the Story:
Richardson urges delegation to support funding for Indian health care (AP 2/21)
pwpwd

Related Stories:
CDC: Indians suffer highest rate of heart disease (2/20)
IHS to force urban Indians to travel for prescriptions (2/16)
Democrats promise action at USET conference (2/14)
Harjo: GOP calls Indian health care 'race-based' (2/12)
Bush cuts funding for urban Indian clinics again (2/8)
Tribes forced to ration funds for health services (2/2)
Interview: Inadequate health care in Indian Country (01/16)
Joint hearing on Indian health care act postponed (11/14)
Final push for health care bill in 109th Congress (11/13)
White House hit over delays in health care and Cobell (10/05)
Still no Indian Health Care Improvement Act (09/22)
New Standard: U.S. failing to deliver health care (7/18)
Senate panel advances Indian health care measure (10/28)
Senate committee takes up slate of Indian bills (10/27)
Hearing on Indian Health Care Improvement Act (07/13)
Oklahoma senator loses Indian health care vote (06/29)
Senate hearing addresses Native youth suicide (06/16)
Senate hearing on youth suicide prevention (6/15)
Study finds high rates of trauma among two tribes (06/01)
Editorial: Hearing a first step in tackling suicide problem (05/09)
Field hearing set on suicide among Native youth (04/29)
Senate committee plans hearing on Indian suicides (04/26)
Two teens dead in murder-suicide fueled by drugs (04/25)
South Dakota tribe combats suicide among its youth (04/18)
BIA establishes partnership to tackle teen suicide (04/08)
New York Times: Indian children being left behind (04/05)
Deadly tragedy puts focus on Native youth problems (3/24)
Yellow Bird Series: Suicide on the reservation (03/16)
Yellow Bird Series: Suicide on the reservation (03/14)
Lawsuit filed over teen's suicide at BIA jail (12/02)
Native students subject to high rates of school violence (11/30)
Suicide rates explode among Colombia's Natives (11/23)
Native community in Manitoba hit by rash of suicides (11/02)
Anderson eyes changes in BIA school system (07/23)
Bill includes suicide prevention funds for tribes (07/16)
Tribe in Brazil sees high rate of youth suicide (04/14)
Report finds lax safety measures at BIA schools (04/08)
Friends, family shocked by INS agent's suicide (03/19)
Ariz. tribe sees alarming rate of suicide attempts (03/09)
Pueblo leaders forming suicide support group (02/18)
CDC calls attention to health disparities in U.S. (02/09)
Survey finds high-risk behaviors among BIA students (11/13)
Smoking rates among Natives highest in nation (10/10)
Study links childhood experience to alcohol abuse (09/19)
Indian Country tops drug report again (9/17)
Native youth top drug use survey again (09/06)
Report card shows Native students falling behind (06/23)
Native youth targeted in anti-drug ads (5/17)
Native youth heaviest smokers in nation (4/3)
Report: Native youth highest drug users (10/5)
Ad campaign targets youth drug use (9/7)
Drug use high among Native youth (9/1)