Skip to main content
HR 5437 114th Congress House

Drug-Free Indian Health Service Act of 2016

Official title: To implement a mandatory random drug testing program for certain employees of the Indian Health Service, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 9, 2016 See on congress.gov
Health Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDrug trafficking and controlled substances
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Drug, alcohol, tobacco useEmployee performanceGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionHealth personnelIndian social and development programsMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMinority healthWorker safety and health
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 23, 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
Jun 9, 2016
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jun 9, 2016
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action June 23, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Drug-Free Indian Health Service Act of 2016

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement mandatory random drug testing for Indian Health Service (IHS) employees who provide health care or administrative services to patients at IHS health care facilities. Officers of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service are exempt from this drug testing. Each employee must be tested at least once per year for specified drugs.

HHS must notify employees of the implementation of this drug testing. Employees selected for drug testing must be notified of their selection on the same day as the testing.

Employees found to have engaged in illegal drug use, through testing, direct observation, evidence from a conviction, or voluntary admission, are prohibited from providing services to patients and referred to the HHS Employee Assistance Program (EAP). At the discretion of HHS, an employee may return to duty after obtaining counseling or rehabilitation through the EAP. HHS may initiate an adverse action, including removal, against an employee engaged in illegal drug use unless the employee voluntarily admits to illegal drug use, ceases such activity, and obtains counseling or rehabilitation through the EAP.

Employees who refuse to submit to drug testing are prohibited from providing services to patients and are subject to adverse action.
 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 3096 Reintroduced Bill Drug-Free Indian Health Service Act of 2017
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5437: Drug-Free Indian Health Service Act of 2016. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5437/
MLA
"H.R. 5437: Drug-Free Indian Health Service Act of 2016." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5437/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5437, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5437/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5437: Drug-Free Indian Health Service Act of 2016](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5437/)
Report a problem