Mark Begich

Implementing the Affordable Care Act eclipsed things.

The 477 tribes across this country agree with Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Mark Begich in pushing Congress to amend the original law.

Thank you for your work and efforts to repeal Section 910 of the Violence Against Women Act.

All we want to do is fix it for Alaska Native people. That is all.

We specifically extend our appreciation to Senator Murkowski and Senator Begich for their support and efforts to repeal the Alaska exception of the Violence Against Women Act.

It has been an honor to be here.

We have a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us.

That is actually an old model. That is a model that we are trying to get rid of.

I want to make sure my colleagues hear exactly what you are saying, so a couple years from now, we do not hear complaints that, geez, why did you not do it?

Just assuming the private sector is going to absorb all this is not realistic.

How we approach this mental health system for the VA cannot be in isolation of the mental health system of this country.

The Nuka model... is a holistic approach.

I would hope that you would do the same thing. It is critical to get those different layers of services available.

The work that has to be done is significant.

If we do not do this as a national model, you will not be as successful as we need you to be for the veterans of this country.

If we pass laws like this, the Choice Act, and we put funding in it, we also have to have sustainable funding.

I look forward to hearing from you about your views on these issues and your role in moving Indian gaming forward.

It does not matter who was spending it. It was coming from the same kitty that we have to allocate.

I am very glad that the piece of legislation passed, as it did a month or so ago.

I am sure, Mr. Secretary, you would prefer not to keep coming to meetings like this but to actually go do the work that needs to be done.

We dragged the Obama administration along, but they now understand, and we have been doing it for 3 years.

I have told you about how important it is to me that we leverage Federal resources wherever they come as we provide care to Veterans.

So maybe we could work with you and maybe FEMA.

Do you think FEMA might have a role to help initiate that?