Brian Schatz

Despite decades of underfunding and almost zero access to critical pieces of our national health infrastructure, Native health systems did their best to rise to the challenge.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the disparities in health care access for Native communities.

So do we have your commitment to work through these issues with Papa Ola Lokahi, with myself, with the Committee?

They started the rollout of some of the most successful vaccine campaigns in the Country.

In just 16 days, everything had changed. The coronavirus was no longer an abstract threat; it was real.

Water is essential for all communities' public health, especially in the midst of the pandemic, but also for education, jobs and economic development.

We must ensure that our Native communities have the water infrastructure they need to thrive.

The Federal Government has a special trust responsibility to ensure the general welfare of Native communities.

The war on drugs, in my view, is still failing our partners in the region.

The Climate Change Financial Risk Act, introduced by Senator Schatz and Representative Casten, would require the Fed to establish a climate-related stress testing framework.

I just think this committee and U.S. Government officials should be extremely precise when describing the Government of China as opposed to the Chinese.

Most of China's influence in the region comes from financing loans, more than one and a half billion in the last decade.

Senator Brian Schatz and I plan to shortly reintroduce our bill to impose a financial transaction fee.

OHA supports Chairman Schatz's PLACE Act, introduced last Congress.

We urge this Committee to support increased funding for, reauthorization of, and expansion of the NHHBG and 184A Loan Guarantee programs.

OHA's policy priority for the Congress is simply this: to further the self-determination of Native Hawaiians.

One of my goals as chairman is to bring Native Hawaiian issues and priorities to the forefront.

Congress has consistently recognized Native Hawaiians as the indigenous once-sovereign people of the State of Hawaii.

In the 116th Congress, S. 4510, the Native American Language Resource Center Act was introduced by Senator Brian Schatz.

We are particularly grateful for your recent efforts to ensure that Native Hawaiians were eligible for federal Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) relief.

I appreciate the bipartisanship way your Committee has worked over the years to ensure that the Federal Government honors its trust responsibility to all Native Americans.

I am honored to kick off the first oversight hearing as the Chairman of the Committee.

A CALL TO ACTION: NATIVE COMMUNITIES' PRIORITIES IN FOCUS FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS

Your work here empowers the Native community to continue exercising true self-determination--our right to chart our own course and maintain our distinct traditions, cultures, and Native ways.

Exclusionary zoning, restrictive covenants, all of that is the great-grandson of Jim Crow.