Jon Tester

That could be a sticking point if it is not.

We want to make sure that we do not do it halfway.

I hope we can get beyond that and not have it continually being an impediment to the passage of this bill.

We will fight to make sure you have the staffing to be able to meet the needs of Indian country.

I am never much in favor of ceding authority to the Executive Branch but in this particular case, it may make sense.

These bills today deal with transfers of Federal land. They can be deemed surplus locations, it just makes sense to make the transfer.

I want to commend the Committee members, the sponsors of today's bills and the Federal agencies committed to restoring homelands and recognizing tribal reservations and boundaries.

We all know how important land is to tribal communities.

We must ensure that our policies support the needs of Indian Country.

For too many years, the United States promoted policies designed to take lands away from Indians.

Do you believe a major hindrance to filling these positions has been the VA's inability to compete within the health care industry?

I want to particularly thank the American Association of Medical Colleges and the American Legion for their early engagement and support of this bill.

That is what I thought. You guys know this is like having a hospital with no CEO, which is a huge, huge problem.

It is clear that filling all 1,500 authorized residency positions, as Congress intended, simply cannot happen.

I think this is critically important if we are going to be able to address the medical needs we have on the ground.

This legislation, simply put, was really to address the chronic shortage of VA medical professionals

I want people to get benefits who deserve benefits. If you do not deserve the benefit, you should not get it.

It is important and I will tell you why it is important.

My guess is it was not a bureaucrat sitting in a room with no windows in it.

But if the research shows that this is a problem, do you not think it is right?

Denial is not a solution.

Oftentimes we get a lot of panelists in here, and to be proactive and talk about what you see as potential solutions is very helpful.

I think your recommendation is well founded. I think it is a good recommendation.

Cool. Not cool, but thank you.

Pipelines remain the safest way of transporting liquid and gas resources.