Lisa Murkowski

We commend Senators Murkowski, Wyden, and Udall for crafting comprehensive and bipartisan legislation that will help create a more secure and domestic supply chain for critical minerals.

I think the most significant that I hear from people about is the permitting process.

It's encouraging to hear from each of you, your support for the legislation.

I'm thrilled and delighted, thank you.

If critical minerals are so important why have you not formed an opinion one way or another that you would like to relay publicly?

I have to admit I am a little bit disappointed in the written testimony that you have provided

I hope that the bipartisanship of the Senate bill will infiltrate into the other body because their bill was not largely bipartisan.

I think it's worthy of our committee's support and I would hope that we will reach that point very soon.

We ought to make sure, with respect to hard rock minerals, that we're looking at every possible way to reduce delays for mining projects that would extract critical minerals.

The Critical Minerals Policy Act, submitted by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R- AK), Ron Wyden (D- Ore), Mark Udall (D- Col.), Dean Heller (R- Nev.) and 13 others, if fully enacted, will prevent supply shortages of critical materials and reduce…

So Mr. Sims from the producer side you know you're getting push from industry that says we need it, we need it, how do we get more folks like Molycorp engaged?

What has helped to either bring new companies, new investment to this state, what has hurt investment opportunities within the mining industry?

I think you did, I mean I think when Congress looks at any of these issues related to reforms or permitting processes you have to look through that--you have to look through the lens of what's politically possible as well.

I do appreciate the fact that you have scheduled up this hearing today.

I recognize the hard work of Chairman Wyden, Ranking Member Murkowski, the cosponsors of the Critical Minerals Act of 2013.

I have just one very quick one for Dr. Meinert and you mentioned the assessment going forward and what I am curious about and would like to understand better is, what's our analytical capacity here in assessing future supply and demand?

We need to realize that unless we do more to ensure our own domestic supply, we may have no way to present--prevent a crisis next time around.

We request that you support such efforts to authorize and then appropriate the funds for IHS advance appropriations.

We therefore strongly urge the Congress to appropriate funding for CSC on a mandatory basis.

The SDPI has proven highly effective in Indian Country, and has produced excellent results.

The goal is for the IHS and tribal healthcare providers to have adequate advance notice of the amount of Federal appropriations to expect.

Legislation to authorize IHS advance appropriations has been introduced--H.R. 3229 by Representative Young and S. 1570 by Senators Murkowski and Begich.

If so, if you will agree to assist us with this, what I think is a very important measure.

He hopes that the OCS Governor's Coalition can cultivate a substantive ongoing dialog with you.

I don't think most people can appreciate, nor would they tolerate that a promise made at statehood, now some 54 years after statehood, in terms of promises made in terms of conveyances, that those conveyances have not yet been complete…