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?

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

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

The Nuka model... is a holistic approach.

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

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

It has been an honor to be here.

The work that has to be done is significant.

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

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

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.

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.

last month, 20 World War II Veterans and 3 Korean War Veterans from the Last Frontier Chapter of the Honor Flight Network traveled from Alaska to Washington, DC, to visit their memorials on October 21. I know you will join me in…

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

I wasn't planning to speak on the floor. I will speak for a couple of minutes, but I appreciate my colleagues who have just spoken and their conversation, as well as many others who have spoken on the floor. Let me make it very clear. This…

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.

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

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.

Very good. So you found that beneficial?

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

So maybe we could work with you and maybe FEMA.

To minimize loss, we must take a proactive approach when dealing with natural catastrophes.

In recognizing the challenges of tribal communities as they prepare, respond to and recover from various disasters requires collaboration and cooperation.