Would the BLM's ability to meet its conservation and recreation missions be enhanced if you had more flexibility to resolve those inholdings in conservation land units like monuments and wilderness study areas?

This legislation will help make permanent protections for portions of the greater Chaco landscape that fall outside of the park boundary and preserve the dark night sky from light pollution.

Chaco Canyon is both a world-class cultural resource and a place of immense importance to New Mexico's native communities.

Do you see one of the things that happens with young people your age, if they learn Cherokee fluently, they feel more motivated to succeed, to interact with the community, to make sure that you grow a stronger community?

Native languages are not only crucial to the communities that speak them, but they also have played an important role in our shared American history.

what the Cherokee Nation has done, is a really impressive move forward in terms of Native languages.

I know that your parents who are here and behind you are very proud of you, but your little brother went to sleep during your testimony, so I don't want to wake him up.

And you specifically highlight the importance of funding to support growth of local leadership, staffing, facilities, materials, mentorships, and a tribal language teaching workforce, among other things.

Several of the things I have heard over and over again is that the grant length for Esther Martinez should go to five years rather than three years and, also, the minimum class size should go from 10 to 5.

What is your position on the reauthorization of the Esther Martinez Act?

Native language revitalization has been a long-time priority for me, and I appreciate the Committee highlighting this issue.

So, on the whole, you are very predisposed to reauthorization?

I am particularly encouraged hearing a lot of these, especially when we are looking at the reauthorization of the Esther Martinez Act and making sure that we take your input.

The Puyallup Tribe greatly appreciates the work of this Committee to empower Indian Nations and their citizens through the preservation and expansion of Native language.

That, I think, is a tremendously important concept.

we need to do everything we can at all levels of government--you're in a crucial position--and speak up against this

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I really appreciate the Commission being here today.

his very just destructive behavior in terms of the First Amendment, in terms of freedom of the press