In Vietnam we really wanted to reinforce support for the Leahy programs to heal the wounds of war.

It is exciting, as someone who grew up during the Vietnam War, to see the positive relationship that we now have with Vietnam, and hoping to build on that.

Once we lose them there, they are gone. And we know how hard it is to get the phosphorus out of the lake.

USAID's Climate Strategy says it seeks to promote a safe and secure political environment for indigenous peoples, human rights, and environmental defenders.

Thank you, Chair Merkley, Ranking Member Murkowski and all members of the subcommittee for the opportunity to submit testimony in support of full funding of $425 million in FY 2024 for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

I think it would be very significant to the tribe.

Do you like that term, tribal sovereignty fees?

Thank you very much.

Amen to that. And I have a bill to change that, so Thank you, for drawing attention and spotlighting that issue.

I want to turn to the Western Oregon operating plan (WOOP), as it is referred to, and this is a plan that coordinates the approach to wildfire response.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Act provided for investment in high-risk firesheds.

Thank you. I am going to be pretty strict about us sticking to our time limits.

I think if I had a magic wand, I would, you know, throw a couple more billion dollars into these key ecosystems that are threatened.

the proposed fiscal year 2024 President's Budget addresses a lot of the concerns and challenges we have with the recruitment and retention.

Thank you, Senator. You timed it just perfectly.

I think it is an incredibly important investigation and report. We need to shine a light on the past in order to understand issues that may help us direct into the future.

I want to emphasize that word, 'required'.

Forest Service salaries--I should say, Federal salaries, in many of the locations across the country is not holding up to salaries in other non-Federal jobs.