I appreciate Senator Barrasso's efforts to address tribal dam maintenance backlog through the DRIFT Act.

I wish to thank the Senator from North Dakota for working on this important issue that in fact speaks across this country but especially in rural America. Senator Hoeven and I are on the floor working this afternoon to provide a voice to…

As my grandmother said, there are highways where the action is. You may be able to develop some action that we may be able to utilize from a policy standpoint.

This bill would authorize grants for tribal healing to wellness courts to reduce recidivism among tribal members.

So, how are you doing that? Are you working through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)?

When I am told that 70 to 80 percent of the kids that are born on that reservation...are born drug-addicted--holy mackerel.

Do any of you have metrics, as far as that goes, or metrics on the connection to poverty and drug abuse?

I ask for your unwavering support for the Dine College Act of 2016.

We strongly support the reauthorization of the Dine College Act 1978 through this bill.

A majority of what we do is underfunded.

I think in a time where budgets are crunched, budgets are always crunched, but if we can do things that are more effective and actually saves money, we ought to be taking a good look at that.

You talked about potential savings, a positive investment. I did too. I have a different perspective than you as a policymaker here in the United States Senate.

We have seen a dramatic increase in overdoses among Native American tribes.

I would also like to know if you have seen an increase within the four States that have legalized it--or if you have seen a problem in the hiring practices of the Federal Government.

It seems like commonsense to me that if there is a program that works, we should make more investments in those kinds of programs.

I very much appreciate that.

You have seen decreases in those?

I introduced this legislation in October along with Senator Franken.