So, according, again, to the Department, since NAGPRA was enacted, apparently only 21 percent of museums subject to the Act have resolved all Native American human remains that are under their control.

It is time, it is past time, that this Committee exercises its oversight role to ensure that the tools Congress has given Federal agencies under the law are being used to safeguard tribal communities from being locked out of decisions…

only 21 percent of institutions have fully resolved all claims on human remains/items under NAGPRA; is it accurate to say that 79 percent are in non-compliance?

Because the role that the ANCs had been playing, as you point out now, for two decades, had really helped facilitate not only the inventory but the ability to work on the repatriation efforts.

Now it still means that your tribes can continue the efforts, the non-profits can contribute the efforts for further repatriation.

I will say thank you also for acknowledging that in the last 50 years, Alaska has developed different institutional arrangements than that of our lower 48 brothers and sisters.

Repatriation, and returning their remains with the respect and dignity that should be afforded, absolutely.

While the protections afforded in NAGPRA may not be applicable in every instance, I do hope that this committee can have a discussion on how NAGPRA's already existing Federal framework may be one of the many Federal tools that we can…

I rise today to recognize and congratulate Linda Wilson, who recently retired from the U.S. Department of Education after over 33 years of service to the American people. Linda earned a degree from University of Arizona in 1980 before…

I have had an opportunity to listen closely to my friend Senator Kaine, who asked the important question about voting rights, about when--when are we going to act? And that is a question that is something that we, each of us, need to ask…

I ask unanimous consent that Maya Becker, a fellow with my staff, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of this Congress. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

there has been a lot of discussion on the floor, certainly today and the days leading up to this, as we talk about the importance of protecting minority rights here in the Senate and the consequences of weakening the legislative filibuster…

There was an effort, there was a concentrated effort and we're learning more day by day through this Commission, I wish it had been a Commission that was wholly sanctioned by the whole Congress rather than just a majority of Democrats, but…

I am still getting thank yous for those.

They are quite concerned about the mandate that requires testing of unvaccinated employees.

I thank my dear friend from Delaware--always Delaware--but truly a friend; a friend on many different issues, but a man whom I have come to know is motivated not by the politics of what goes on in this body but by the passion and his…

Oh, my goodness, my soul. Mr. President, may I strike that erroneous introduction?

I think here in the Senate, so many of us have the privilege to occasionally host military fellows, congressional military fellows, and I would like to take just a minute here to recognize the great work of a former member of my staff, Air…

Well, thank you. Again, it takes a lot of people, and the years that Senator Ernst has been working this initiative on this side of the aisle is something that, again, we want to build on, and we need to build on it together. It has been…

I mentioned that I came to the floor to speak about a significant matter for Alaska. It is a significant milestone for my State. Just 2 days from now, on December 18, we will mark the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement…

I have come to this floor to speak on a matter that is very local to Alaska, very important to Alaska. But before I begin my comments, I want to acknowledge a few of the comments of my friend from Minnesota. Clearly, we share some of the…

I am pleased to be on the floor today with my colleagues, both the Senator from Iowa behind me and the Senator from California, because I want to thank them publicly for their leadership as they work to address these issues of domestic…

It was good to see the BIA disbursing about $30 million to tribes in P.L. 280 States.

Some members of Congress and the news media pushed a narrative that tribal governments somehow would not be fair...

Jurisdictional complexity should not deny safety or justice. That is what we have seen happening.