Byron Dorgan: “let me describe now, if I might, the issue of health care for American Indians, which I believe is an urgent national…”

“let me describe now, if I might, the issue of health care for American Indians, which I believe is an urgent national need. We have a trust responsibility for their health care. We have a piece of legislation that exists in law called the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, but it needs to be reauthorized. It has not been reauthorized for 15 years. It expired 7 years ago. We need to do this. Year after year after year, this Congress postpones it. We have passed legislation out of the committee; it does not get to the floor; it does not get done. Let me show my colleagues a picture of a young 14-year-old girl. This precious child--her name is Avis Littlewind. Her relatives gave me permission to use her picture. Avis is dead. Avis committed suicide. I want to tell you the story about Avis because I went to talk to the school officials, the tribal officials, the mental health officials, and those who were in the extended family. This 14-year-old girl took her own life. It probably should not have been a surprise to anyone because for 90 days this little girl lay in bed in a fetal position, missed school. Something was very wrong. This little girl had a sister who, 2 years previous, had committed suicide. This little girl had a father who took his own life. This little girl had another parent who was a very serious drug abuser. She laid in bed 90 days before she took her life.”