Johnson: IHS Has Failed Indian Country

Statement

Johnson: IHS Has Failed Indian Country

U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) was outraged at the findings of an Indian Affairs Committee hearing today examining the oversight of the Indian Health Service (IHS). He has released the following statement:

It is no secret that the IHS in DC too often fails to provide adequate health care to Indian people. Today's hearing showed that the IHS has failed not just Indian people, but every single taxpaying American, with a level of incompetence at the simple tasks necessary to run an office. The agency's lack of accountability and a reliable property management system has allowed the loss or theft of over 5000 items worth $15.8 million, at IHS headquarters alone 36 percent of all informational technology equipment was missing. Even more disturbing is that nobody at IHS seems to be held accountable, as the agency's former Deputy Director of the Office of Finance and Accounting testified, upon reporting missing property he was told by the IHS Property Book Office, "we just write it off as we have always done."

Tragically, these unacceptable practices also squeeze the life out of the services the IHS has a duty to provide to Indian people. The $15.8 million dollars of missing equipment is money that could have kept the Wagner IHS Emergency Room open. Instead, the IHS has squandered federal money and hung that tribe out to dry with their own incompetence. Since the release of the GAO Report, I find it appalling that nobody has been fired from the agency by Director McSwain or otherwise held accountable based on his testimony today. There is a direct correlation between the carelessness of this agency with federal money and the health care and financial crisis it has forced upon tribes and tribal members. I am anxiously awaiting the GAO's follow up report in 90 days, and I will work with tribes and my colleagues to overhaul this agency if they continue to waste money as was shown in today's hearing.

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