INDIAN HEALTH 1 [PUBLIC LAW 568-83D CONGRESS, AS AMENDED 2] * * * * * AN ACT To transfer the maintenance and operation of hospital and health facilities for Indians to the Public Health Service, and for other purposes 42 U.S.C. 2001 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 68 Stat. 674 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all functions, responsibilities, authorities, and duties of the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Secretary of the Interior, and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs relating to the maintenance and operation of hospital and health facilities for Indians, and the conservation of the health of Indians, are hereby transferred to, and shall be administered by, the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare: Provided, That hospitals now in operation for a specific tribe or tribes of Indians shall not be closed prior to July 1, 1956, without the consent of the governing body of the tribe or its organized council. SEC. 2. Whenever the health needs of the Indians can 42 U.S.C. 2002 be better met thereby, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare is authorized in his discretion to enter into contracts with any State, Territory, or political subdivision thereof, or any private nonprofit corporation, agency or institution providing for the transfer by the United States Public Health Service of Indian hospitals or health facilities, including initial operating equipment and supplies. It shall be a condition of such transfer that all facilities transferred shall be available to meet the health needs of the Indians and that such health needs shall be given priority over those of the non-Indian population. No hospital or health facility that has been constructed or maintained for a specific tribe of Indians, or for a specific group of tribes, shall be transferred by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to a non-Indian entity or organization under this Act unless such action has been approved by the governing body of the tribe, or by the governing bodies of a majority of the tribes, for which such hospital or health facility has been constructed or maintained: Provided, That if, following 1 Approved August 5, 1954. 2 By P.L. 86-121, approved July 31, 1959. 42 U.S.C. 2003 42 U.S.C. 2004 42 U.S.C. 2004 (a) 73 Stat. 267. such transfer by the United States Public Health Service, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare finds the hospital or health facility transferred under this section is not thereafter serving the need of the Indians, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall notify those charged with management thereof, setting forth needed improvements, and in the event such improvements are not made within a time to be specified, shall immediately assume management and operation of such hospital or health facility. SEC. 3. The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare is also authorized to make such other regulations as he deems desirable to carry out the provisions of this Act. SEC. 4. The personnel, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds (available or to be made available), which the Director of the Bureau of the Budget shall determine to relate primarily to the functions transferred to the Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare hereunder, are transferred for use in the administration of the functions so transferred. Any of the personnel transferred pursuant to this Act which the transferee agency shall find to be in excess of the personnel necessary for the administration of the functions transferred to such agency shall be retransferred under existing law to other positions in the Government or separated from the service. SEC. 5. The Act of April 3, 1952 (66 Stat. 35), and all other laws or parts of laws in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed.3 SEC. 6. Sections 1 to 5, inclusive, of this Act shall take effect July 1, 1955. SEC. 7. (a) In carrying out his functions under this Act with respect to the provision of sanitation facilities and services, the Surgeon General is authorized (1) to construct, improve, extend, or otherwise provide and maintain, by contract or otherwise, essential sanitation facilities, including domestic and community water supplies and facilities, drainage facilities, and sewage- and waste-disposal facilities, together with necessary appurtenances and fixtures, for Indian homes, communities, and lands; (2) to acquire lands, or rights or interests therein, including sites, rights-of-way, and easements, and to acquire rights to the use of water, by purchase, lease, gift, exchange, or otherwise, when necessary for the purposes of this section, except that no lands or rights or interests therein may be acquired from 3 That is, on the date of approval of P.L. 568, 83d Congress, August 5, 1954. These first six words added by sec. 2 of P.L. 86-121. 5 Sec. 7 added by P.L. 86-121, approved July 31, 1959. an Indian tribe, band, group, community, or individual other than by gift or for nominal consideration, if the facility for which such lands or rights or interests therein are acquired is for the exclusive benefit of such tribe, band, group, community, or individual, respectively; (3) to make such arrangements and agreements with appropriate public authorities and nonprofit organizations or agencies and with the Indians to be served by such sanitation facilities (and any other person so served) regarding contributions toward the construction, improvement, extension and provision thereof, and responsibilities for maintenance thereof, as in his judgment are equitable and will best assure the future maintenance of facilities in an effective and operating condition; and (4) to transfer any facilities provided under this section, together with appurtenant interests in land, with or without a money consideration, and under such terms and conditions as in his judgment are appropriate, having regard to the contributions made and the maintenance responsibilities undertaken, and the special health needs of the Indians. concerned, to any State or Territory or subdivision or public authority thereof, or to any Indian tribe, group, band, or community or, in the case of domestic appurtenances and fixtures, to any one or more of the occupants of the Indian home served thereby. (b) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to transfer to the Surgeon General for use in carrying out the purposes of this section such interest and rights in federally owned lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, and in Indian-owned lands that either are held by the United States in trust for Indians or are subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States, including appurtenances and improvements thereto, as may be requested by the Surgeon General. Any land or interest therein, including appurtenances and improvements to such land, so transferred shall be subject to disposition by the Surgeon General in accordance with paragraph (4) of subsection (a): Provided, That, in any case where a beneficial interest in such land is in any Indian, or Indian tribe, band, or group, the consent of such beneficial owner to any such transfer or disposition shall first be obtained: Provided further, That where deemed appropriate by the Secretary of the Interior provisions shall be made for a reversion of title to such land if it ceases to be used for the purpose for which it is transferred or disposed. (c) The Surgeon General shall consult with, and encourage the participation of, the Indians concerned, States and political subdivisions thereof, in carrying out the provisions of this section. 42 U.S.C. 2005 71 Stat. 370 71 Stat. 371 42 U.S.C. 2005а 42 U.S.C. 2005b 60 Stat. 1041; 42 U.S.C. 291291n 42 U.S.C. 2005c [PUBLIC LAW 85-151] AN ACT To authorize funds available for construction of Indian health facilities to be used in the construction of community hospitals which will serve Indians and non-Indians Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That whenever the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, in carrying out his functions under the Act of August 5, 1954 (68 Stat. 674), with respect to the provision of health services to Indians in any particular area, determines, after consultation with such Indians, that the provision of financial assistance to one or more public or other nonprofit agencies or organizations for the construction of a community hospital constitutes a method of making needed hospital facilities available for such Indians which is more desirable and effective than direct Federal construction, he may provide such financial assistance from funds available for the construction of Indian health facilities for such Indians. SEC. 2. The amount of such financial assistance shall not exceed that portion of the reasonable cost of the construction project which is attributable to the Indian health needs, as determined by the Surgeon General: Provided, That in determining, for the purposes of this Act, the portion of the cost of the construction project attributable to Indian health needs, the Surgeon General shall take into account only those categories of Indians for which hospital and medical care, including outpatient care and field health services, is being provided by or at the expense of the Public Health Service on the date of enactment of this Act. SEC. 3. As a condition to providing assistance under section 1, the Surgeon General shall (a) require plans and specifications meeting such standards of construction and equipment as he may prescribe, and (b) obtain such assurances and agreements as in his judgment are equitable in the light of the financial assistance provided under this Act and are necessary to assure the availability of the facility for the provision of hospital and medical care to Indians and to assure that the hospital is operated in compliance with State standards for operation and maintenance of hospitals which receive Federal aid under title VI of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C., ch. 6A, subch. IV). SEC. 4. The Surgeon General shall make payments under section 1 in advance or by way of reimbursement and in such installments consistent with construction progress, as he may determine. 2005d SEC. 5. Neither assistance provided under this Act for 42 U.S.C. meeting part of the cost of construction of a hospital project, nor the giving of any assurance required as a condition of such assistance, shall be construed as affecting in any way the eligibility of such project for aid under title VI of the Public Health Service Act or any other Federal Act authorizing financial aid in the construction of such project, but construction costs met with Federal funds made available under this Act shall not be included in the cost of construction in which the Federal Government shares under such title VI or other Federal Act. SEC. 6. As used in this Act: (a) "Hospital" includes diagnostic or treatment centers and general hospitals, and related facilities, such as laboratories, outpatient departments, nurses' home and training facilities, and central service facilities operated in connection with hospitals, but does not include any hospital furnishing primarily domiciliary care; (b) "Diagnostic or treatment center" means a facility for the diagnosis or diagnosis and treatment of ambulatory patients (1) which is operated in connection with a hospital, or 2005e (2) in which patient care is under the profes- 42 U.S.C. sional supervision of persons licensed to practice medicine or surgery in the State, or, in the case of dental diagnosis or treatment, under the professional supervision of persons licensed to practice dentistry in the State. (c) "Nonprofit" means owned or operated by one or more corporations or associations no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. (d) "Construction" means construction of new buildings, expansion, remodeling, and alteration of existing buildings, and initial equipment of any such buildings (including medical transportation facilities), including architects and engineering fees, but excluding legal fees, the cost of off-site improvements and the cost of the acquisition of land. 2005f SEC. 7. Except as otherwise specifically provided, 42 U.S.c. nothing in this Act shall be construed as conferring on any Federal officer or employee the right to exercise any supervision or control over the administration, personnel, maintenance, or operation of any hospital, with respect to which any funds have been or may be expended under this Act. Approved August 16, 1957. |