Mark Cruz confirmed as new director of Indian Health Service

In a significant development for Indigenous healthcare in the United States, the Indian Health Service (IHS) has a new permanent leader. Mark Cruz has been confirmed to lead the agency, filling a leadership role that had remained vacant for nearly 19 months. Reporting from the Washington DC Bureau for ICT, journalist Jourdan Bennett-Begaye confirmed the appointment on 7 August 2026. The confirmation marks a critical milestone for the IHS, which is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The agency has been operating without a permanent director since early 2025, and Cruz's arrival is expected to provide stable governance for the organisation's nationwide health initiatives. In addition to the national leadership news, ICT reported a surge in Indigenous political participation across the United States. In Tennessee, a Choctaw state legislator has successfully advanced to the general election following a primary victory on 7 August 2026. This success reflects a broader trend noted by ICT reporters Kevin Abourezk and Amelia Schafer, who highlighted that a record number of Indigenous candidates appeared on ballots in Minnesota and other states during the August primary cycle. Further successes were recorded in Kansas, where Representative Sharice Davids secured a victory in the Democratic primary on 5 August 2026. The week’s political developments underscore a period of high engagement for Native American communities, with nearly 70 Indigenous candidates identified as key figures to watch during the 2026 primary season.