Lisa Murkowski

I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the importance of this legislation.

I want to thank Senator Rounds for bringing this and I want to thank you for your sharing your family's story.

I would like to commend both tribes for their leadership in restoring this land to tribal ownership and signing a covenant to forever protect the land as a sacred site and memorial to the victims and survivors of the Wounded Knee Massacre.

I believe that we have a responsibility to ensure that the voices of Native Americans are heard.

It is time for Congress to step up, place this land in restricted fee status and effectuate this covenant.

I do want to be clear, though, this legislation in no way absolves the Federal Government of its actions in one of the deadliest Indian massacres in our Nation's history.

So you raise an issue that I would like to finish off my question back to you, Secretary Newland.

I think we have recognized that when we are talking about any of these water projects, we have seen costs escalate considerably due to inflation.

Just recognizing that things around here don't necessarily move very quickly, it seems to me that if there were identified areas or maps that we are talking about, the process moves forward a little bit more quickly, rather than, it seems…

The tribe needs to be made whole. I think we are absolutely in agreement there.

We have so much more to do here.

These bills are important, as they address the complex tribal water and land issues.

So you raise an issue that I would like to finish off my question back to you, Secretary Newland.

I think we have recognized that when we are talking about any of these water projects, we have seen costs escalate considerably due to inflation.

Just recognizing that things around here don't necessarily move very quickly, it seems to me that if there were identified areas or maps that we are talking about, the process moves forward a little bit more quickly, rather than, it seems…

When you are talking about something as basic as water, we know that we have room to improve

The tribe needs to be made whole. I think we are absolutely in agreement there.

We have so much more to do here.

These bills are important, as they address the complex tribal water and land issues.

I believe we have an obligation to ensure that the voices of Native Americans are heard.

I join my colleagues up here to encourage you to do more of the same.

Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of yourself and others.

Let us do more than just talk about it. Let us make sure that access is there until we can find the treatment.

Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of yourself and others.

I join my colleagues up here to encourage you to do more of the same.