The Oglala Sioux Tribe thanks Chairman Young, Ranking Member Ruiz, members of the subcommittee and, in particular, Representative Noem for their leadership on this issue.

I appreciate that.

How can I trust them with the safety and care of the 122,000 tribal members in the Great Plains?

I like the idea of a business platform, run it right. I don't believe it has been run right.

That is how crazy that thing is. That is another bill that I need your help getting done, too, that is devastating.

the bill that Mr. Bear Shield was talking about is one that penalizes tribal businesses for not complying with the Obamacare mandate, which our tribal businesses should not be bound to.

Unfortunately, for years we have watched this revolving door happen. And you may not be here long-term.

I have not heard of a single person being fired from IHS because of the poor care that has been delivered in the facilities in the Great Plains region.

Will you commit to join me in asking for the HHS Inspector General to investigate those nine deaths?

I believe that it should be done by an unbiased entity like the HHS Inspector General.

the National Indian Health Board does support Congresswoman Noem's legislation, and we look forward to working with her.

The stories from the Omaha/Winnebago Hospital and other IHS facilities serving the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations sound like scenes from Third World countries, not the American heartland.

We recommend that this subcommittee work with Representative Noem to locate authority that will put IHS' process at the front of the pack, not just a small step ahead.

We are asking for the same provisions that the VA has recently received and changes that.

Neither the Winnebago Tribe, nor I, will stand idle as Indian Health Service kills our people, patient by patient.

What happened yesterday is yesterday. What is going to happen tomorrow is what we have a role in trying to do.

The HEALTTH Act (H.R. 5406), proposed by Representative Kristi Noem, is attempting to address long-standing tribal concerns about the IHS.

I must say that we encourage you to pass this legislation, but I implore you do not abandon us after this.