Lisa Murkowski

We need some assistance, here.

I appreciate that. We have resources clearly in Alaska that have been looking very specific to the issues as it relates to Alaska Native women.

I think we all pay attention to what goes on with whistleblower situations, but if there is a perspective or a view within the agency that not only are whistleblowers not rewarded, but in fact there are consequences, negative consequences…

I appreciate the Senator's question about assessing the repair needs of Bureau of Reclamation facilities.

Advance appropriations would allow Indian health programs to effectively and efficiently manage budgets.

The Village Built Clinic Program that really helps keep our health clinic doors open.

Are you saying that contained within your fiscal year 2015 budget, you think you have funding flexibility with this inflation factor or not?

I think it is something we point to as a source of pride, an innovative way to be able to provide for oral health care needs of our Native people.

If we are going to treat all of our Native people on some level of funding parody, I think this is an area we need to be looking at.

I would be interested in learning a bit more about that. I recognize we can have very successful, innovative programs like the DHAT Program and have these programs like VBC that have been critical in maintaining these clinics but we have…

Is there anything separate for VBCs, for the village built clinics?

It is not necessarily taking it from another budget category where we are arm wrestling with somebody else?

Thank you for all that you do.

I think it is absolutely critical that there be a renewable energy plan that not only incorporates our opportunity and potential for hydropower, but also the geothermal resources that we have there.

I have mentioned several times here this morning my concern for the limitations that we place on our ability to move out our renewable energy resources.

The return on investing in our Nation's forests is great.

As I mentioned in the hearing, it was another subpar year in Region 10.

I would appreciate your support of Sealaska. It was kind of a long and tortured process. I would like to see that through.

Well, we thought we had resolved it. You and I both know, we thought we had resolved that back in 2003.

We cannot give up on this region. We cannot give up on a region that has opportunity and has potential, but is being denied because of policies from our own Federal Government.

We cannot access an area to put in a hydro facility, whether it is small hydro, lake tap, whatever it is we are trying to do, geothermal opportunities.

I think that is very, very inconsistent with, again, this administration's push toward, movement towards renewables.

I, too, want to finally and fully get this done. I, too, want to see us be able to access an area whether it is for energy resources, for access to road projects, transmissions, but we have got to get this roadless issue resolved, and we…

But in order for a bridge to work, it has to be anchored to something on either side.

I am not sure we can hold on much longer.