our veterans should not be denied benefits just because of where they chose to live

we need to look at Alaska as a unique and different situation, a different set of facts

Do you get any contribution from any other countries? You just noted how everyone else benefits. Is anybody else a participant financially?

Can you give me an update as to where that study is and to what extent the study is looking at other means that we might be able to acquire this type of information short of funding additional field offices?

I think the level of inquiry that we have had in subcommittee with your leadership, it has been appreciated on all ends.

But I think we also recognize that if you want to do any further expansion that the key is going to be in these partnerships and in these cost-sharing efforts that it sounds like you are pursuing very aggressively already.

Yes, it is a tough landscape out there. I think we all appreciate that.

The amount that is in this year's budget request is $15 million.

I appreciate how this series of hearings has gone.

There has been a great deal of focus and attention to the real workings of what goes on within the legislative branch.

Ambassador, I would like to go back to the issue that I raised in my opening remarks, and that is why a foreign exchange program belongs in the legislative branch bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It is unacceptable for America's most remote rural veterans living in roadless Bush Alaska to be forgotten by the VA and the ORH whose mission is to ensure highly rural veterans have adequate access to quality health care resources…

I was born in a rain forest. I was born in the Tongass National Forest in the Ketchikan General Hospital.

We'd welcome that opportunity.

Nuclear is absolutely carbon free in terms of its emissions, so why we aren't seeing more support from the administration on it?

I have always believed and I continue to believe the President deserves to have the people of his choice to fill the key positions in the administration.

I think as we talk about how we create all these wonderful jobs and the opportunities and build out the green technologies, we've got to be very cognizant of this issue.

Yet for purposes of a renewable electricity standard, you know, we're putting all kinds of barriers in front of hydro itself.

oil and coal companies and interests have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in an effort to convince the American people that they are focused on solving our energy and climate crisis.

If we don't have the science, we're not doing right by our initiatives.

I first learned of this project on Friday, May 22, after I expressed concern that none of the $215 million in Office of Rural Health Projects announced that week would have any significant effect on Alaska's access problems.

I do recognize, fully recognize that these three agencies perform very important functions, serve the entire Federal Government, not just the legislative branch.

It seemed, as you were going through earlier, you mentioned that it would be to help monitor and follow and produce the reports that are requested under TARP, auditors for Fannie and Freddie for the Bank Insurance Fund, and then the…

I just want to understand because $18.5 million is not unreasonable in terms of a technology request.