That statement is on file with Senator john Thune's office.

There has to be accountability. There has to be a chain of command, the buck has to stop somewhere.

A heart attack victim on a gurney with a taped piece of paper to her thigh explaining why she is not going to get funded for health care for a heart attack is unbelievable.

The Indian health care issue is underfunded by half.

I think if some of these employees had been able to come earlier, we might be having a different hearing today.

I hope comes out of this is better use of telehealth and telemedicine.

I want to do again because when we finally, after 17 years, passed the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, I asked it be named after Ta'Shon Rain Little Light.

I will tell you personally from my staff's experience, we continuously have issues gaining information from IHS employees who observe some of these incidents but are fearful to step forward.

We spend twice as much per person providing health care for those we incarcerate in America's prisons than we do to meet the promise of health care for American Indians.

I think it is important to remember that the solution to every problem is not growing the administrative size of the agency.

No organization in American of which I am aware can work properly in those circumstances.

I too want to thank you and Senator Tester for holding this hearing and shining a light on what is a major crisis in Indian Country in the Great Plains.

It has been approved and the paperwork has been waiting in Aberdeen for 18 months to be signed.

When there is fraud, misconduct, incompetence, criminal activity, you do not need a long investigation for that.

This is about people who die; this is about living and dying.

Thank you, Chairman Barrasso and Ranking Member Tester, and members of the Committee for allowing me as a non-member of the Committee to give a very brief statement.

For too long, the Federal Government has failed to live up to its promise and its trust responsibility to provide adequate care for the Native American community.

We have a serious breakdown in communication or somebody is not telling the truth.