Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I am out of time.

This significant piece of legislation aims to prevent and control severe and life-threatening zoonotic diseases.

I have introduced S. 4365 because Alaska Native children experience the highest incidences of hospitalization from dog attacks than any other group in the Nation, and we need to deal with it.

This is a commonsense piece of legislation that ensures the Federal Government lives up to its trust obligations while providing a humane, non-lethal option for animal population control.

But we also know that you have to have the legal authority first. So that is what we are trying to do here.

Okay. So this bill will fix that legal authority, is that correct?

But if in fact you have costs that could average, as I understand, around $20,000 per person plus lost wages plus travel costs if folks have to fly, then that is also a balancing factor if that individual is being treated through IHS…

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I am out of time.

So that is why, this is the question. Is that why, then, IHS had previously denied the request by both, well, there were two tribal health organizations in Alaska, at YKHC and Maniilaq, when they sought to add veterinary spay and neuter…

I have introduced S. 4365 because Alaska Native children experience the highest incidences of hospitalization from dog attacks than any other group in the Nation, and we need to deal with it.

This is a commonsense piece of legislation that ensures the Federal Government lives up to its trust obligations while providing a humane, non-lethal option for animal population control.

But we also know that you have to have the legal authority first. So that is what we are trying to do here.

But if in fact you have costs that could average, as I understand, around $20,000 per person plus lost wages plus travel costs if folks have to fly, then that is also a balancing factor if that individual is being treated through IHS…

So that is why, this is the question. Is that why, then, IHS had previously denied the request by both, well, there were two tribal health organizations in Alaska, at YKHC and Maniilaq, when they sought to add veterinary spay and neuter…

Statement of Senator Murkowski

Okay. So this bill will fix that legal authority, is that correct?

This significant piece of legislation aims to prevent and control severe and life-threatening zoonotic diseases.

That was a key element that actually brought it into line, because my employees became health care consumers and they exercised their power in doing it.