it may be time to revisit the funding formula, because I don't know that the Tribes at that time, the past few times, have been as active and as--you might say, have been allowed to take part in the development of the funding formula.

the funding that provided for--I will speak for Ohkay Owingeh--will not meet all of the needs in terms of transportation

establishing a Self-Governance Office, we think, in Indian country, is an important part of the self-governance initiative

Native Americans have been handled, yeah, very badly in this country, treated very badly since 1607.

if the funding, whether it is formula, percentages, no matter what happens with any funding that we are doing as the Federal Government with Tribal Governments, that that might need to be reevaluated.

I am encouraged by Committee Chairman DeFazio's announcement last week of a transformational five-year, $760 billion investment in infrastructure.

That is the binding contract the United States entered into with Tribes, and from those treaties and other laws has arisen the United States' sacred trust responsibility to the Indian Nations and our peoples.

the plight of the indigenous peoples and the dire need for both Federal investment in our Tribal Nations is personal to me.

I would suggest to you you read a--there is a wonderful piece called 'The Myth of the Deceased Immigrant.'

What you have are children fleeing violence, fleeing poverty, and trying to reunite with their families.

I would suggest that people go down to the border and visit. I think you will see that they are refugees, too.