Jerry Moran

But you have been denied any opportunity for economic growth in the state.

It is an important issue. Thank you for bringing it to the subcommittee's attention.

The incidence of rape and sexual assault against Native American and Alaska Native women is epidemic.

What you are asking for is some opportunity to be able to develop some small businesses and get some employment growth here.

One of the things that seems so clear to me as we have finally begun the process of increasing the funding for veterans' health care is that the challenge we now face within the VA system is hiring and retaining health care professionals.

I would encourage your efforts on behalf of rural health care to recognize this, not to be narrow in the way that we define who can be a provider.

The Indian Nations of Virginia never took up arms against the United States which perhaps explains why there was never a treaty.

I am proud to appear before this Congressional Committee today to speak on behalf of the six Tribes named in H.R. 1385.

In the name of decency, fairness, and humanity, the Virginia tribes deserve federal recognition.

When you realize the history, the travesty of justice that has occurred here, you feel almost a personal responsibility to rectify it.

I am also pleased to testify along with Dr. Helen Rountree, a renowned anthropologist specializing in the heritage of the Virginia Tribes.

This has been a long and in many ways a very painful process, particularly to our friends, the Virginia Indian tribes.

That is how severe the law was.

It saddens me to my very core that we have to appeal to the legislative body of arguably the greatest country in the free world.

The six Virginia tribes are not seeking federal legislation so that they can build casinos.

But there is no doubt these tribes exist, have existed.

we certainly agree with Congressman Moran, who testified before, that gaming is not going to be an option for the groups under consideration.

A country noted worldwide as a champion of human rights, to find redress; to correct a wrong Virginia Indians have endured since the United States was formed.

Some historians have called this a paper genocide.

That is what this legislation is all about.

This is a difficult thing for this country to come to grips with.

So I think this subcommittee has generally felt that BLM's mission is the sustainability of the land over which it is responsible to be at least equal to or greater than its responsibility to make oil and gas that might be on that land…

But $50 billion is not chump change.

By not charging a market-oriented cost.

I am wondering if at some point we are not going to have to see if we cannot get some incentive for pharmacies to take back unused pills