Construction of Bureau of Indian Affairs schools may be taking the hardest hit of all. President Bush is asking young Indian children to continue to drive great distances and sit in substandard schools, cutting new school construction by $119 million.

     "Ironically, the budget document lists funding for Indian schools under the heading ‘Supporting a Compassionate Society’. But the level of dollars is anything but compassionate, looking to the most vulnerable to pay the price for overspending on its true priorities. We must level the playing field for our Indian schools to succeed because their success is intertwined with the success of their tribal communities," said Rahall.

     Last week, in response to National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Chairman Tex Hall’s State of Indian Nations, Rahall called on the Bush Administration to request in its annual budget plan an additional $300 million for Indian Health Services (IHS). Their budget request falls far short of this demand by $200 million.

     "Every American feels the pinch in their wallets as health care costs skyrocket. But IHS spends less on its patients than any other group receiving public health care. In fact, the federal government spends twice as much on the health care needs of its prisoners than Indians. This is a disgraceful and shameful statistic that this Administration fails to remedy in its budget priorities," declared Rahall.

     Compounding Indian Country’s health care problems is a lack of contract support dollars. Through compacts with tribal governments, the Federal government has seen that tribes can better administer certain health programs to their communities. However, unlike the Federal government, tribes lack the infrastructure to handle the burden of these programs’ administrative costs. The President has allocated a meager raise, but nowhere near the $70 million NCAI Chairman Tex Hall cited as the need of Indian Nations.

     Adding to the financial burden assumed by tribal governments, State and local law enforcement assistance is eliminated in this year’s budget request, cutting off vital funding for community protection and homeland security programs.

     And while more than 25 tribes govern land adjacent or accessible to over 260 miles of international borders, tribal governments do not directly receive a dime of the $4 billion available to State and local governments for their homeland security needs.

     "It is not in the Nation’s best interest to force these tribal governments to jump through hoops to request funds from State and local governments for protecting these border lands for all Americans," stated Rahall.

     And although the Department of the Interior claims that land consolidation is a priority, its budget is being cut by $500,000, for a total of $34.5 million, nowhere near the $95 million need.

     "Never balking at the defense of our country, it is a bitter irony that Indians continually fight so that others might enjoy the freedoms and liberties that have eluded them on their own soil. Sadly, the priorities set forth in this year’s budget request are insulting to our first citizens," concluded Rahall.