# IHS Workforce Parity Act of 2025

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is the federal agency that provides healthcare to Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Right now, IHS employees earn significantly less than federal employees doing similar jobs in other agencies. This bill aims to fix that pay gap by bringing IHS worker salaries in line with what comparable federal employees make elsewhere in the government.

Currently, an IHS nurse, doctor, or administrator might earn thousands of dollars less per year than someone in the same position working for the Department of Veterans Affairs or another federal health agency. This pay difference makes it hard for IHS to recruit and keep talented healthcare workers, which ultimately affects the quality of care available to Native American communities. The bill recognizes that this isn't fair to IHS employees and creates real problems for tribal healthcare systems that are already stretched thin.

If this bill passes, IHS workers would see their salaries adjusted upward to match federal pay scales for equivalent positions. This would make IHS jobs more competitive and attractive, helping the agency hire and retain experienced doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, and other healthcare staff. For Native American communities, better-paid and more stable healthcare workforces could mean improved access to medical services and better health outcomes. The bill essentially says that people doing the same federal work deserve the same federal pay, regardless of which agency employs them.

IHS Workforce Parity Act of 2025

Cortez Masto, Catherine

IHS Workforce Parity Act of 2025This bill allows recipients of Indian Health Professions Scholarships or participants in&nbsp;the Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program to fulfill their service obligations through half-time clinical practice.