Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 3767 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3767 To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to elevate the position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 3, 2026 Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Mr. Rounds) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to elevate the position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INDIAN HEALTH. (a) In General.--Section 601 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) in paragraph (2)-- (i) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Director'' and inserting ``Assistant secretary for indian health''; (ii) in the first sentence, by striking ``a Director'' and inserting ``an Assistant Secretary for Indian Health (referred to in this section as the `Assistant Secretary')''; (iii) in the second sentence, by striking ``The Director shall report'' and inserting ``The Assistant Secretary shall report directly''; (iv) in the third sentence, by striking ``the Director'' and inserting ``the Assistant Secretary''; and (v) in the fourth sentence, by striking ``A Director'' and inserting ``An Assistant S