A bipartisan group of senators has raised alarms over recent cuts to the federal health care workforce, warning that these reductions are jeopardizing the health of Native Americans and other beneficiaries of Indian Health Services (IHS). Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) expressed their concerns in a letter to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., highlighting the disproportionate disease burdens faced by American Indians and Alaska Natives.
The senators emphasized that HHS is obligated to provide health care to approximately 2.8 million Native Americans, a population that already experiences significant health disparities. Despite some exemptions for IHS staff from cuts and hiring freezes since the start of the Trump administration, the loss of other employees who assist with the agency’s core functions has exacerbated long-standing clinical staffing shortages. The senators criticized HHS for failing to consult properly with tribal governments on agency changes, which has damaged the federal-tribal relationship.
The letter pointed out that losing civilian staff in the U.S. Public Health Service is jeopardizing the work of 1,200 officers at IHS and tribal facilities. The senators requested that Kennedy meet with Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Committee on Indian Affairs staff to address these issues. HHS responded by stating that Kennedy is committed to prioritizing tribal health and noted that the department was not impacted by workforce reductions.
This situation underscores the critical need for adequate staffing and proper consultation with tribal governments to ensure the delivery of essential health care services to Native American communities.
See: “Senators say HHS cuts imperil Indian Health Services” (May 7, 2025)
