NIHB Submits Letter of Support for Rear Admiral Weahkee's Nomination to be the Next Director of the Indian Health Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Shervin Aazami 202-507-4088

NIHB Submits Letter Supporting Rear Admiral Weahkee's Nomination to be Director of Indian Health Service

WASHINGTON, DC—December 6, 2019— Today, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) submitted a letter of support to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) supporting President Trump's nomination of Rear Admiral (RADM) Michael D. Weahkee to be the next Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS). President Trump formally nominated Weahkee in a press release on October 22, 2019. NIHB's Board of Directors voted to support RADM Weahkee's nomination during their November 2019 convening.

RADM Weahkee's confirmation hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at 2:30 PM Eastern . The confirmation hearing will be broadcast live on the SCIA website, available here . If confirmed, RADM Weahkee would serve a four-year term as Director.

To access NIHB's support letter, click here .

RADM Weahkee is an enrolled member of the Zuni Tribe, and currently serves as the IHS Principal Deputy Director. In this capacity, he is responsible for administering health care to AI/ANs nationwide, in IHS/Tribal/and Urban (ITU) settings. Weahkee began his health career as a public health specialist in the United States Air Force and has received two Masters degrees from Arizona State University; a Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). 

To learn more:

About the Nomination Process
A presidential nominee must pass through a series of investigations by the F ederal Bureau of Investigation Internal Revenue Service , the Office of Government Ethics and an ethics official from the agency to which the position is assigned. The nominee must also fill out the Public Financial Disclosure Report and questionnaires related to his or her background check. The process begins when the president provides a written nomination to the  Senate. The nomination is then passed to the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the appointed position.

For more information about NIHB’s legislative efforts, please contact NIHB Deputy Director of Congressional Relations, Shervin Aazami, at saazami@nihb.org

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