Lisa Murkowski

It is good to hear the Director speak so highly of the CHAP Program and the benefit that it can provide.

I appreciate that. But our situation here is, at the end of 2022, the unobligated balance for IHS was $6 billion.

I appreciate that. Again, we certainly, I am certainly hearing from the Native leaders about the need to prioritize Tribal participation within the conservation of the Cooperative Management.

I would simply urge the subcommittee here to utilize the terminology that is founded in the law, and the regs.

During the past several years, lengthy permitting delays have become the rule, rather than the exception.

Ensuring adequate funding for PL280 states to address the inequities among Tribal courts remains a top concern of mine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Assistant Secretary, we have had a conversation in other committees as well, about the budget proposal to shift the Office of Subsistence Management, OSM, from Fish and Wildlife to BIA.

I am glad you heard it directly. I am glad that you were impacted by it.

I have already set up a team internally to start looking at how we might address that.

We recognize that in the Maniilaq decision back in 2016, which established the 105(l) leasing mandates...

I would like to focus my first round of questions on contract support costs, and the 105[l]s.

It is my hope that we can continue our bipartisan tradition to prioritize the needs of Native communities.

What I am trying to drill down though, is whether or not there is legally defined reference definitions.

I think we have made upholding the Federal Government's trust responsibility a bipartisan priority, and it needs to continue to be so.

I think we recognize we not only--we not only need the minerals but we are going to have to do more to promote some efficiencies, and deal with the permitting issues; something that we are all talking about here on a bipartisan basis.

I have expressed some concern, again, about the pace of processing the individual permits.

I would love to have further conversation with you.

I think that we can make a real difference for the State of Alaska, and we can make a real difference across the country.

I am going to be up in Fairbanks this weekend, and I can tell you this is going to be a hot, hot, hot topic there.

By failing to properly certify and test wood heater emissions the EPA has frustrated Congress' investments and intended goals.

This is an environmental injustice that we have discussed, it is an environmental injustice caused by the Federal Government.

Well, my time is expired, but know that we do want to follow up with you on this.

Well, and Madam Secretary, if I may, because I was at that roundtable with Secretary McDonough.

When I talk to communities in my state, they very much want to take on PFAS, but they are concerned about national regulations, and how they could, potentially, amount to new unfunded mandates.

I am going to continue to be a very zealous advocate for our Alaska Native communities, and in righting this.