Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 825, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Land Transfer Act of 2017. The consortium provides comprehensive healthcare to Native communities throughout Alaska's panhandle. It also delivers healthcare on behalf of the Federal Government through self-determination compacting. The consortium operates Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital in Sitka, a 25-bed, critical-access facility. The hospital was constructed towards the end of World War II. It is in dire need of updating due to its age and condition. For the consortium to secure financing for the project to update the conditions of the facilities, they need land on the hospital campus, which is currently held by IHS, conveyed by warranty deed. S. 825 is a companion bill to my bill, H.R. 1901. Simply, it would transfer 19 acres of Federal land to the consortium, allowing them to update and improve healthcare services for Alaska Natives. From the 112th to the 114th Congress, three of my bills that authorized similar land transfers for different entities were signed into law. These bills were nearly identical to S. 825. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Bishop and his staff for moving this bill through committee. I would also like to thank Ranking Member Grijalva and his staff for their bipartisan work on this legislation. Mr.…”