It's kind of embarrassing to think that a country like India is going to have an icebreaker in the water before we would.

But many of them are starting to feel like, is this a false promise? Is this a false promise here?

That is what these consortia are able to do. They are able to build capacity so that these many, many much smaller and much less advantaged tribes, they are the most disadvantaged, they are the ones that need it most, and yet they have the…

I happen to believe very strongly in Admiral Fagan's comments that this is an extraordinary return for American people.

So when they hear me coming to them and saying, we have tribal energy programs, we have a way to help you, believe me, they are interested.

So as you are working to advance this program, please understand that the reason they are allowing consortia in NTIA and through IHS is because this is what works.

Most Native communities in Alaska still are relying on diesel fuel and heating oil.

But we also have things like batteries out there, things that we really don't want to have sitting out there.

Fourteen percent, about 14 percent of households in Indian Country don't have electricity.

But we also have things like batteries out there, things that we really don't want to have sitting out there.

I want to underscore again using my State as an example, Alaska Native peoples as an example of why it is so imperative that we improve tribal energy development.

So you don't consider that outreach, do you?

If you have greater resources, it would seem to me reasonable that this would certainly free that up. Would you not agree?

We are approaching April. This is the time of year we start hearing from our communities saying we have run out.

We should be working together to try to figure out how we can solve some of these problems...

There shouldn't be any ambiguity to it. To us, that is legislative intent, and it is specified, so it should be easy.

Speaking about refining the procedures, of course you are familiar with the, in Alaska, the tribal consortia, and how they really are able to harness economies of scale.

Speaking about refining the procedures, of course you are familiar with the, in Alaska, the tribal consortia, and how they really are able to harness economies of scale.