Lisa Murkowski

As we have had this conversation before, this is key in terms of those issues that just drive folks nutso.

What are you doing to improve that sales planning and to solve the appraisal issues that we are dealing with?

I think that would be helpful in terms of sharing the information, but also making sure that as we are moving forward, again, the resources are there to allow for the level of inventory that we are all talking about.

I believe very strongly that this inventory should have been done prior to the Tongass plan being locked in.

I do as well, Senator Udall. I appreciate it.

I think it has been limiting, and I think it has been unduly burdensome at times.

Do not get me wrong. I am supportive of greater efficiencies and anything that would allow for an easier opportunity to access.

You know how that scares so many of us? Because when we hear the term 'modernize,' what that means is it is a central facility located somewhere in Maryland, not that Maryland is bad but it is a long way from Wrangell, Alaska.

We are all about efficiency and making sure things work. I look at it, and call me a skeptic now, but if you can demonstrate this actually does get us to the place that you have outlined here, efficiencies are good.

Thank you. Chief, you might notice that we did not take a break at 10:30 for a vote. It has been moved to this afternoon, which is good for us, maybe bad for you.

If the view is rather than including funding in a budget proposal that would really help facilitate capital improvements and maintenance, instead of funding that, we are going to bank on a larger national infrastructure project, my concern…

Are you banking on the President's soon to be released infrastructure package to be the end all and be all to solve things like a small little bridge maintenance issue in Northern Southeast?

I look at this and am really quite concerned as to whether or not you have sufficient funding to keep open the roads.

Working with the administration to finally resolve this, I think, has got to be key.

This letter is to state our support for full funding of the PILT program in the Federal fiscal year 2018 budget.

Do you plan to approve additional H2B visa processing this year so Alaskan fish processors can effectively operate this summer?

These are things that have come about as part of the Arctic Council discussions, but I think it is going to require a review in an area that we just have not been focused on at all.

We do not have border patrol. We do not have any security along that entire U.S. coast that is called Alaska, some 33,000 miles of coastline that we have got up there.

We need to have a vision for how we are going to respond as an arctic nation with the infrastructure that we need.

We want to make sure that every American who wants a job has it and I would welcome anyone in this room to come up.

Since 1977, Congress has appropriated and the U.S. Treasury has distributed payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) on Federal lands nationwide.

And you would agree that there are clearly advantages to be had by block-buying icebreakers as opposed to buying each vessel individually.

One Polar icebreaker does not constitute a fleet here. So we have some work to do.

I appreciate that. I think the engagement will be appreciated, but also the transparency with these community conversations and the fact that they will be ongoing.

In effect a HEMP attack is an event that would be an act of war or terrorism, and in fact, is the responsibility of the Federal Government to prevent, as a matter of national security.