Warren, Heinrich, Colleagues Renew Push to Improve Tribal Public Health Security, Preparedness

Bill would ensure tribes have equal access to critical federal investments in public health preparedness Bill Text (PDF) | One Pager (PDF) Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led colleagues in reintroducing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act , legislation that would ensure tribal nations have equal access to federal investments to prepare for public health emergencies. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) led the House introduction of the bill. The CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement program is a critical funding source for eligible state, local, and territorial public health departments, helping them strengthen their ability to respond to public health threats and emergencies. Many heavily rely on these funds to meet needs related to staffing, supplies, planning, training, and exercises, but under the current program, no tribal public health departments are eligible to apply for these funds. “The federal government unfairly excluded tribal nations from accessing emergency health grants during COVID-19, leaving communities high and dry and breaking our country’s promise to Tribes. We can’t wait for the next public health emergency to strike to make sure Tribal communities have the resources they need,” said Senator Warren . “Our bill is an important step to make sure Tribal nations have equal access to the federal investments that help keep communities healthy and safe.” “The federal government must uphold its trust and treaty obligations to Tribes, and that includes ensuring Tribal communities have the resources they need to prepare for public health emergencies,” said Senator Heinrich . “Our CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act gives Tribal public health departments direct access to Public Health Emergency Preparedness grants, strengthening Tribal public health infrastructure, and helping Tribal communities better prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.” “Tribal Nations are at the forefront of protecting our communities—and they deserve the tools and resources they need to prepare for public health emergencies,” said Representative Stansbury . “This bill will help ensure Tribes have direct access to critical CDC preparedness funding so they can deliver safe, effective, on the ground responses during public health emergencies. I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation and support Tribal nations across New Mexico and the nation.” “We cannot keep expecting Tribal Nations to respond to public health emergencies with one hand tied behind their backs. Tribal public health departments know their communities best, yet they have been shut out of the very federal preparedness funding designed to save lives,” said Representative Fernández. “Our CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act respects Tribal sovereignty, fulfills our trust responsibilities, and gives Tribal Nations direct access to the resources they need to protect their people before the next public health emergency arrives. Preparedness saves lives, and Tribal communities deserve nothing less.” The CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act would: Allow tribal nations and tribal organizations to apply directly to the CDC PHEP program; Require the CDC to fund at least ten tribes for emergency preparedness and include a 5% tribal set-aside of total CDC PHEP funds; Exempt tribes from needing to match funds and waive many of the reporting requirements to minimize the administrative burden on tribal nations; and Require the CDC to consult with tribal nations and tribal organizations and allow the CDC to make certain modifications to the program to fit the needs of tribal applicants. The CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act is cosponsored by Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The bill is endorsed by the National Indian Health Board, the National Council on Urban Indian Health, and the National Congress of American Indians. Senator Warren fought to ensure that sovereign Tribal Nations have the resources needed to protect and advance the health and welfare of Native people: In July 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren led colleagues in reintroducing the Mamas First Act , legislation that would address the maternal mortality crisis by expanding Medicaid coverage to include prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care provided by doulas, midwives, tribal midwives, and lactation support providers. In September 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Al Green (D-Texas) reintroduced the Reconciliation in Place Names Act to remove racist and bigoted names from national landmarks. In May 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), along with Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), reintroduced the Remove the Stain Act . The bill would revoke the Medal of Honor from the soldiers who perpetrated the Wounded Knee massacre on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota on December 29, 1890. During the massacre, U.S. soldiers slaughtered hundreds of Lakota men, women, and children—most of them unarmed. Twenty U.S. soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor—the highest military decoration—for their actions at Wounded Knee. In December 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren reintroduced the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act , designed to implement recommendations from the report Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans, published by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in December 2018. In December 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study into child abuse and neglect in indigenous communities to help inform Congress’ work to support Tribal child welfare programs. In March 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act , legislation that would ensure tribal nations have equal access to funding through the CDC to prepare for public health emergencies. In January 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reintroduced the Tribal Medical Supplies Stockpile Access Act , legislation originally introduced in 2020 that would guarantee that the Indian Health Service (IHS), tribal health authorities, and urban Indian organizations have access to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), a federal repository of drugs and medical supplies that can be tapped if a public health emergency could exhaust local supplies. In December 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren led over 100 democrats in the Senate and House in reintroducing the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act , the most ambitious legislation ever introduced in Congress to confront the substance use epidemic and would provide state and local governments with $125 billion in federal funding over ten years, including nearly $1 billion per year directly to tribal governments and organizations. In May 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) reintroduced the American Indian and Alaska Native Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (AI/AN CAPTA), the bipartisan bill would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to help provide tribal nations with resources to combat child abuse and neglect. In February 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren reintroduced legislation to create a federal contact tracing workforce to stop the spread of COVID-19, requiring contact tracing collaboration with Tribal health authorities and funding for the IHS. In November 2020, Senator Elizabeth Warren previewed the COVID Community Care Act , empowering trusted organizations in underserved communities to address mistrust of public health information and provide timely services to combat COVID-19. This legislation provides grants for community-based organizations and nonprofits to conduct testing, tracing, and outreach activities in communities with higher rates of the virus or who have historically lacked access to the health care system. In August 2020, Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act to improve research and data collection, safeguard the health of pregnant and postpartum individuals, and dedicate resources to combat the maternal mortality and morbidity crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. This would ensure that the federal response to the pandemic, including vaccine development, considers and addresses the specific challenges faced by Native women. In April 2020, Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the COVID-19 Emergency Manufacturing Act to publicly manufacture personal protective equipment, prescription drugs, and other medical supplies necessary to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation would provide COVID-19 products at no cost to federal, state, local, and IHS and Tribal health programs. ###