I want to thank the witnesses, sincerely thank the witnesses, Dr. Brill and your team.

It is also 90 percent of all supplies and food that come to Alaska come through this port.

I hope that we can move this in a bipartisan way because for all the reasons Dr. Brill mentioned and it saves money.

We want to make sure we are helping.

I think we have made good progress.

I think there is a lot of bipartisan support for this kind of action in the Senate.

Look again, Russia has 50, and 54 is a number I know and many of which are nuclear, some of which are heavily weaponized, so we are way behind.

I think it is a concern of yours, which is a gap in coverage, given that the fire aboard the HEALY.

I think you are seeing here Coast Guard assets, Coast Guard infrastructure, Coast Guard icebreakers, whether in the Arctic or on the Great Lakes, is really bipartisan.

But they don't have the right to shoot off Alaskan fishing vessel.

I want to address a topic this afternoon here in the U.S. Senate that I believe not enough people are talking about. It is something that I certainly heard a lot about when I was back home in Alaska, and I think it is something that…

I think it is something most Senators are supportive of, and I think we are going to have an opportunity here with the NDAA likely passing.

You know, we all kind of brag about our States a little bit. My colleagues have never heard this. My State has more veterans per capita than any State in the country.

I actually think it is a great opportunity for our young men and women who are getting out.

It saves money. It is better for our vets. It is better for our active duty forces.

I chair the Congressional Veterans Job Caucus with Senator Manchin.

We need to ensure that the voices of our tribal nations are heard and respected.

Water is a valuable resource for Tribes. It is fundamental for Tribal public health and economic development on Indian reservations, particularly in the West.