I was listening to NPR this morning and they ran a feel-good piece about a pair of gay men who circumvented Oklahoma's ban on gay marriage by marrying on a Cheyenne reservation there. Coming as it did the day after a gloomy piece on how draconian restrictions in Texas have forced health clinics which provide abortions to close, it made me wonder - could this tactic be used to offer women health care in Texas and in other states?
Putting a health clinic on the reservations would presumably have to be done in conjunction with the Indian Health Service - but that is a federal organization and not under Texas law. Could tribes across Texas invite health care operators to open women's clinics under the proviso that they be open to tribal members at little or no charge? If so, it would be a win for tribal administrators, who would receive new state-of-the-art facilities funded by the non-tribal members. The clinics would hire local tribe members as clerical and office staff, so there would be some boost to the reservation economy.
Texas has only three Indian reservations, one on the outskirts of El Paso, one about two hours west of San Antonio, and one about an hour north of Houston. It is not enough locations to help all the women of Texas, not by a long shot, but it's better than nothing. Am I right that this is possible despite Texas state law, or did I miss something?