Let me begin by thanking you for your efforts to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act which contains so many important provisions to improve the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

I think this hearing is a really excellent way to begin this wider discussion.

Had we not done what we did, I believe there would have been a global financial collapse.

However unpopular they are now, they were the right steps.

Can you give us--give us the timeline on fatigue.

I think we should not ignore it.

I understand the responsibility of the pilot. That's the responsibility of a professional to himself or herself in the profession, and the responsibility to the passengers they're transporting.

And, Mr. Prater, my guess is--you run a pilots organization and you're going to want to say, 'You know what, they have a right to commute wherever they want to commute from.'

It is essential that we consider these things urgent, based on what we now know--or 'dire,' as the Captain indicated.

We know that something significant has changed with respect to air travel in this country.

I don't understand this issue about solving a fatigue issue by napping.

it's essential that we get this done.

We need to make sure that we're dealing with the issues that relate to--the issues that have become self-evident to us in recent years.

I'm going to write an official letter--and I assume my colleagues would join me on it--month after month as we go along here to find out, Where is it? When is it going to happen? Who has it now? How long do you expect them to have it? We…

We can surely figure out what we need to do to address what Mr. Prater says is a 'dire problem.'

The fact is, this issue has been around--the NTSB has had this on its most-wanted list for 19 years.

Part of the problem, Senator, is that the system doesn't provide for a mechanism to provide the pilots with a decent salary.

I'm going to call on Senator Lautenberg in a moment, but one final point.