Lisa Murkowski

I would ask you that question as well, what possible support might be had for those institutions that are experiencing extraordinarily high costs for lousy internet.

I lean very strongly towards opening all schools in the fall.

I would encourage you to look at that aspect of what access means as well.

Assuming the trajectory of the pandemic continues in a positive direction we need for schools to be open this fall.

We must prioritize the needs of Native students and ensure they have access to quality education.

Education is one of the greatest tools I think we have to achieve opportunity and success.

To have Mr. Dearman say he is going to get back to us on the maintenance backlog, we keep asking.

I think we all recognize the stress that our students, both young and older, have experienced during this time of the pandemic.

They shared with me that prices per month are between $700 and $800 per month for families to connect to the internet.

I would appreciate that.

Okay. So we had--we had included report language in the last several appropriations bills, directing the IHS to work with the State of Alaska to conduct an assessment of the updated facility needs in the State.

It seems to me that every year we are looking at significant increases from year prior.

We created a separate appropriations account, similar to what we have done with contract support.

So much of today's hearing has been focused on really unprecedented dollars that are--are coming to IHS.

Five to 10 years. So are you working with the administration to include any funding for IHS construction in the development of the infrastructure project that we are looking at?

Then it has been mentioned previously by others about the--about the backlog on priority facility construction projects, with a little over $2 billion backlog, a further estimate of $14.5 billion to meet all of IHS construction needs.

I am trying to figure out how we do our planning here.

I think we saw during this public health emergency, that IHS facilities were called upon to provide care to non-IHS beneficiaries. So we are all in this together as we said.

In the fiscal year 2021 Omnibus we all agreed to separate out the 105(l) costs.

Yes. If you can let us know just, kind of, what to anticipate there, that would be appreciated.

So do you know if the Village Built Clinics are funded at 100 percent of the--of the cost of the lease agreement?

So then let me ask one final question on this. How exactly will IHS determine how the $2 billion then will be allocated across the system here?

So you feel like you have got a pretty good system there.

You know, you have indicated that following the very serious allegations of this pedophile who, effectively, has moved from hospital to hospital within the system is a shocking, horrible matter.

So how challenging is it, or will it be to recoup more third-party reimbursements?