Secretary Kennedy Announces $1 Billion Investment in IHS Facilities
Published March 23, 2026
By AACOM Government Relations
Federal Policy OME Advocate
- On February 13, 2026, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced $1 billion in existing resources to address the Indian Health Service (IHS) construction backlog, beginning in FY27 and continuing until expended.
- Combined with $809.22 million appropriated for IHS facilities in FY26, the investment advances efforts to modernize Tribal healthcare infrastructure and uphold federal trust and treaty obligations to American Indian and Alaska Native populations. The announcement also included recommendations to help institutions return borrowers to repayment.