Wednesday, August 23, 2006
CONTACT: Barry E. Piatt
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
DORGAN SAYS HE’LL KEEP FIGHTING TO SUPPORT PROGRAM TO TRAIN AMERICAN INDIAN PHYSICIANS
Senator steps in to prevent cuts to INMED budget
(GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA) --- The University of North Dakota’s (UND) Indians Into Medicine program has made major strides in bringing quality health care to American Indian reservations, graduating 20 percent of the nation’s Native physicians. But UND officials warned this year that cuts to federal health care programs called for by the President have put INMED in danger of losing staff and resources.
U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) stepped in and included $1.088 million for the program in two appropriations bills now pending before Congress. That would be enough to ensure INMED can continue its work, and Dorgan told UND officials at a meeting here Wednesday he will fight to retain the funding and help the program find new permanent funding sources.
“The Indians Into Medicine program at UND has proven its value in bringing quality health care to our reservations,” Dorgan said. “I’m glad I was able to add funding to ensure INMED can continue its important work. The President has continued to call for cuts that would pull the rug out from our efforts to improve health care on our reservations, and we need to send him the message that this is a program that works and an important investment in rural America.”
Dorgan told the group that the President’s budget cuts make it increasingly difficult to secure the needed federal funds for valuable programs like INMED. He anticipates that next year will be just as difficult and encouraged the group to expand its funding portfolio for the program.
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