Senator Dorgan once said it takes four agencies and 49 steps. I think with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, we say it is seven agencies and 100 steps.

I have conferred with the good Senator from Illinois and beg his indulgence. He has offered 3 minutes for each of our remaining speakers. I thank him for that and ask for the Chair's indulgence. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it…

I think one of the biggest complaints that I hear repeatedly in Indian country is that the system of Federal regulation treats these as if they were public lands and not tribal lands.

I put forward the Native American Children's Safety Act which would provide additional protection for Native American children in foster homes.

I want to go back to Senator Tester's discussion about one stop shop and accommodating those concerns not from the standpoint of just ease of discussion but accountability of all those agencies to work together.

I did a little work on State taxation in Indian country. I would dispute some of your statements.

I will close. It is time for the Senate to vote on this important issue. With that, I will turn to the Senator from Illinois and again thank him for the additional time. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Hirono). The Senator…

Prime Minister Harper of Canada has said on a number of occasions how important this project is to Canada. The Ambassador of Canada to the United States is Gary Doer, somebody who was formerly the Premier of Manitoba and somebody I worked…

I thank the good Senator from Georgia, who is putting forward common sense. I would like to turn, in closing, to the Senator from Wyoming, who is a senior member of the energy committee and truly understands energy issues. The PRESIDING…

I thank the Senator from Iowa, who has made the case so well, and I look to his experience on energy issues and ag issues and his understanding of what it takes to truly have an all-of-the-above energy policy. As he said so well, it is not…

I thank the Senator from South Carolina and turn to the esteemed Senator from Georgia. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.

I think both of you acknowledge that this is land that first and foremost the tribes have primacy over.

What we want to do is build out that capacity of self-determination.

I would like to thank the distinguished Senator from South Dakota and turn to our colleague from the State of Oklahoma, certainly a State that understands energy production and understands how vital this pipeline infrastructure is. So with…

I would like to thank the Senator from Oklahoma for his work on this important issue, and I turn to the Senator from Texas, a State that produces more oil and gas than any other State in the Union, and ask for his thoughts and support. The…

You do understand their problem with this distinction of public land versus tribal land?

I think everyone wants to get out of the business of being paternalistic.

I would really encourage your help and support on that legislation in terms of getting at some of the red tape and some of the challenges that were faced on the reservation.