Utah's Indian Walk-In Center may yet avoid crippling budget cuts threatened under President Bush's 2007 spending plan. On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an Interior appropriations bill that would preserve funding for the nation's 34 urban Indian health care clinics. Bush's proposal would have canceled funding and nearly decimated the Salt Lake City center's $1.5 million budget. Dena Ned, the center's executive director, was cautiously optimistic on Wednesday. The Senate has yet to approve the House plan, "and we expect there to be a lot of discussion," she said. Congressman Jim Matheson, D-Utah, credits Ned for helping draw attention to the program. In April, a crowd of about 500 American Indians staged a protest outside the Utah center to raise awareness. "Over 4,000 clients would have been without access to health education, diabetes care, mental health counseling and disease prevention programs, if the Indian Walk-In Center was forced to close," said Matheson in a prepared statement. In addition to culturally sensitive medical care, the center operates a food bank and substance abuse support groups. Utah's American Indians are more likely to be uninsured than any other ethnic group. Roughly 68 percent live in urban areas outside of reservations. "There is no one else in our communities to provide what we provide," said Ned.

- Kirsten Stewart