"H.R. 3764 is a thinly veiled attempt to upend the legally-supported ability for the Secretary of the Interior to federally recognize Indian tribes."
"This bill will weaken tribal self-determination and strengthen politicians' self-interest."
"It would take away the option for tribes to rightfully petition the government for Federal recognition in a more open, objective, scientific, evidence-based and transparent process."
"In essence, the bill will disempower legitimate tribal groups and empower politicians, specifically the Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and the Speaker of the House."
"Eliminating the process and putting it in the hands of a hyper-partisan, dysfunctional Congress is counter-intuitive to the goals of transparency, consistency, and integrity."
"I appreciate your deep commitment to upholding the integrity of the government-to-government relationships between the United States and federally-recognized tribes, one that we share."
"This bill does little to improve transparency or consistency in the Federal recognition process."
"The old process was broken."
"This bill does not add transparency, does not add consistency, does not add scientific-based, does not make it less political than what we already have."
"So, my suggestion, and the solution, would be--let's codify the criteria, make the changes from the old, broken system that we dislike to begin with."
"When brave young men and women volunteer to serve in our Armed Forces, they swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
"Veterans being deprived of healthcare they have earned, whether due to unforeseen increases in cost or demand, budgetary mismanagement at the VA, congressional dysfunction, or any other problem outsid..."