Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025

This Act may be cited as the “Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025”.

(a) Establishment.— Section 601(a) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “tribes” and inserting “Tribes”;

(2) in paragraph (2)—

(A) by striking “a Director” and inserting “an Assistant Secretary for Indian Health (in this section referred to as the “Assistant Secretary”)”;

(B) by striking “The Director shall report” and inserting “The Assistant Secretary shall report directly”;

(C) by striking “the Director” and inserting “the Assistant Secretary”; and

(D) by striking “A Director” and inserting “An Assistant Secretary”;

(3) in paragraph (3), by striking “date of enactment of the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization and Extension Act of 2009 shall serve as Director” and inserting “date of enactment of the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025 shall serve as Assistant Secretary”;

(4) in paragraph (4), in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking “Director” and inserting “Assistant Secretary”; and

(5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(5) Deputy Assistant Secretary.— The Assistant Secretary may—

(A) with the approval of the Secretary, appoint a Deputy Assistant Secretary; and

(B) consistent with applicable law, utilize officers and employees of the Department as necessary to administer the activities of the Service.”.

(b) Duties.— Section 601(c) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661(c)) is amended—

(1) in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking “Director” and inserting “Assistant Secretary”; and

(2) in paragraph (1), by striking “date of enactment of the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization and Extension Act of 2009” and inserting “date of enactment of the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025”.

(c) Authority.— Section 601(d)(1) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661(d)(1)) is amended in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking “Director” and inserting “Assistant Secretary”.

(d) References.— Section 601 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1661) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(e) References.— Any reference to the Director of the Indian Health Service in any Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or in any document of or relating to the Director of the Indian Health Service, shall be deemed to refer to the Assistant Secretary.”.

(e) Rate of basic pay.—

(1) Positions at level IV.— Section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking “Assistant Secretaries of Health and Human Services (6)” and inserting “Assistant Secretaries of Health and Human Services (7)”.

(2) Positions at level V.— Section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking “Director, Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.”.