Political Quotes

“I rise today to reintroduce a bill to facilitate improved access to the Indian Health Service's Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center in Hemet, California. My colleague Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) is joining me as an original cosponsor of the bill. The Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center is the only currently operating center in the State of California that provides culturally-sensitive substance use disorder treatment to indigenous youth. The Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center, located in Hemet, is run by the Indian Health Service. The facility not only provides healthcare, but also academic support, family therapy, and treatment plans to support the healing and long-term recovery of youth enrolled at the Center. Currently, the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center is only accessible by a dirt road. This limits access to the Center during California's extreme wet and dry seasons. The dirt road frequently cracks or floods during these times and creates significant challenges to those depending on the Center's important work. The Indian Health Service does not currently have the authority to buy land from willing private landowners who are supportive of selling their land to provide for a paved access road. It is necessary that we provide for safe and dignified access to the center, and I am pleased to reintroduce this legislation to do so.…”