And the only way we are going to get there is if we properly fund the Indian Health Service and BIA and other contract services that tribes use to help support their communities.

I hope we can keep this hearing focused on the substance. I hope we can keep it focused on what our tribal leaders have told us.

So, shouldn't we be incentivizing the Good Neighbor policy with mining?

I think this is a Catch-22, but I also think there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

A few months ago, before this very Subcommittee, tribal leaders bravely spoke about death threats, yes, death threats, they received from the international criminal cartels.

In reality, many counties that I represent have way too much Federal land.

The deck is stacked against operators that receive an adverse ruling through your agencies.

How can you justify prioritizing conservation spreading over ensuring equitable compensation for states like Arizona?

Given the recent increase in energy prices and concerns about energy independence, how does the budget proposal address the need to streamline permitting processes?

We do not think you know an exact number of people who are teleworking.

As the Office of Surface Mining calculates and distributes each state's share of Federal funding, will the Office of Surface Mining commit to providing up-to-date, regular briefings with states to discuss these funds' disbursements?

I find it disgusting that you still sit there and hide behind that, when children are being mutilated, do not have a chance.