Indian Health Care Amendments of 1980
Public Law 96-537 · S. 2728 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 17, 1980 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. John Melcher (D-MT)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Indian Health Care Amendments of 1980 - Amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1981 through 1984 for: (1) the health professions recruitment program for Indians; (2) the health professions preparatory scholarship program for Indians; (3) the Indian health service extern program; (4) Indian health services, including patient care, field health, dental care, mental health, alcoholism treatment, and maintenance and repair; (5) grants to and contracts with tribal organizations; and (6) health services for urban and rural Indians.
Authorizes Indian scholarship grants for pregraduate education in certain areas of medicine for periods not to exceed four years.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1981 through 1984 for the Indian health scholarship program.
Authorizes appropriations as necessary for such fiscal years for: (1) the construction and renovation of Indian health service facilities; and (2) the construction of safe water and sanitary waste disposal facilities.
Amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to assist tribal organizations in administering programs on or near Federal Indian reservations and in or near Alaska Native villages, to assist Indians to enroll for Medicare benefits and to apply for Medicaid benefits.
Directs the Secretary to enter into contracts with urban and rural tribal organizations to establish and administer programs to make health services more accessible to Indian populations. Requires such organizations to submit a report for each fiscal year on the expenditure of funds received under such contracts. Makes such report subject to audit by the Secretary and the Comptroller General.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress, not later than six months after September 30, 1983, on health services for urban and other nonreservation Indians, including an assessment of the unmet health needs of such Indians.
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements with an Indian tribe for the reconstruction or renovation of any property leased by the Secretary from such tribe.
Directs the Secretary to submit a resource allocation plan to the Congress within one year of enactment of this Act, which explains the future allocation of services and funds provided by the Indian Health Service.
Directs the Secretary and the Service to conduct a study of the health hazards to Indian miners and Indians on or near reservations and communities as a result of nuclear resource development, and to develop a health care plan to be submitted to the Congress in specified time periods after enactment of this Act. Establishes an Intergovernmental Task Force, chaired by the Secretary, pursuant to such study and plan.
Directs the Service to render appropriate medical care to any Indian, upon request by such Indian, for work-related illnesses resulting from employment in a uranium mine or mill and to recover such medical care costs from the mine or mill operator.
Designates the State of Arizona as a contract health service delivery area of the Indian Health Service, and directs that the Service not curtail any existing services provided to Indians on Federal reservations in the State as a result of such designation.
Makes Indians who are members or descendants of members of formerly and currently federally-recognized tribes of California eligible for services provided by the Indian Health Service.
Authorizes the Secretary to conduct a personnel ceilings demonstration project to determine if the Service can be better managed through fiscal controls without personnel ceilings. Requires the Service to report to the Congress, within two years of enactment of this Act, on the results of such project.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Dec 17, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-537.
- Dec 5, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 4, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 3, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Dec 2, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Dec 1, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1483.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1483.
- Sep 29, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Sep 10, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Sep 9, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 6629.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Jun 2, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- May 15, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.