The Bemidji Pioneer
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BEMIDJI — Bemidji's Indian Health Service office is listed on the Department of Government Efficiency's website as a potential lease termination in an effort to cut costs, leaving the future of the office unclear.
U.S. Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar wrote a letter Tuesday demanding answers about the possible lease termination for the office, which occupies a 4,896-square-foot building located at 2225 Cooperative Court NW near Beltrami Electric.
The IHS office joins a list of 748 potential lease terminations throughout the country. According to the DOGE website, terminating the lease would save the government $178,554.
According to the IHS website, the Bemidji office provides health care services for 34 tribal nations and four urban health programs in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The office operates three federal/direct service programs on behalf of the Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth Nations. These programs — Cass Lake Hospital, Red Lake Hospital and White Earth Health Center — are staffed by about 500 federal employees and Public Health Service commissioned officers.
In a letter to General Services Administration Administrator Stephen Ehikian and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Smith and Klobuchar "highlighted the devastating impact this decision could have on the health and well-being of thousands of Native Americans across the region," a release said.
"Thousands of members of federally recognized tribal nations receive health care within the Bemidji Area Office's purview," the letter reads. "This includes emergency care, substance use disorder treatment, mental health care, primary, specialty, and dental care, and much more. Without an operational area office, recipients of this care will face immediate disruptions in care and health consequences. It is unconscionable to risk the health care of children and families in this way."
In the letter, Smith and Klobuchar noted that IHS services are provided under the federal government's trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations and that any disruption in operations could jeopardize essential medical services. They requested clarity on whether GSA intends to terminate the lease and if so, what plans exist to prevent service disruptions.
"The Bemidji area is already the least resourced IHS service area, and putting the administration of those services into chaos as a result of this abrupt office closure will only exacerbate this disparity," the letter reads. "This is not in the spirit of making America healthy again."