The Colville Tribe was one out of five selected for the Indian Health Service's (IHS) Joint Venture Construction Program, resulting in the program assisting with the new Omak health care outpatient facility. Both Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Dan Newhouse sent a letter last year in support of the Colville Tribe application for the program.

The program partners with the tribe for the construction project, meaning the tribe constructs the facility and then leases it to the IHS at no cost for 20 years. Congress funds the IHS to provide staffing, operations and maintenance.

In a press release, Newhouse stated: "This joint venture will significantly increase access to healthcare for the Colville Tribe and the surrounding communities. I applaud this commitment by the Indian Health Service to help deliver these much-needed services in Omak."

Cantwell also added a statement in the press release: "Tribes are on the front lines delivering health care services not only to Tribal members but surrounding communities as well. It’s great that the Colville Tribe can move forward with building a new outpatient health care facility after being selected for the Joint Venture Construction Program. The Tribe has been working on getting this done for 22 years, and I hope work will get started as soon as possible."

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