Byron Dorgan

We need to get this done. This is life or death for some people.

I would like to thank Senator Dorgan, Senator Murkowski, and indeed the entire Senate Committee on Indian Affairs for all of their hard work on behalf of Indian health.

It is critically important that reforming and improving the health care system for American Indians remains a high priority.

We are not discouraged. In fact, we have great hope that our long struggle will bear fruit in the 111th Congress.

I also urge the Committee to take opportunities to improve the Indian health system during health reform.

I hope that in the new Congress, that we can move forward on the critical issues facing the Indian health care system.

The NIHB urgently requests that Congress finish work on an IHCIA bill within the next 90 days.

I don't need to tell anyone in this room that the current system is broken.

I hope at the end of that journey, we all will have felt we have done something that advances Indian health care in this Country.

I think it would make sense to me if I and Senator Barrasso and others members of this Committee, working with all of you, can try to evaluate what should be the new approach in this legislation.

The question of eligibility is obviously important.

We desperately need the new authorities offered by the Indian Health Care Improvement legislation.

Congress has repeatedly stated that the trust responsibility to provide health care extends to American Indians regardless of where they reside.

I remain optimistic that this Committee will continue to work in a bi-partisan fashion to address the health care needs of our First Americans.

We have a crisis in Indian health care. We need to address it and fix it.

Reform proposals should support and strengthen our system.

This is a moral issue, an ethical issue, and a legal treaty obligation of this country.

I am dedicated, I know my Vice Chairman is as well, to turn once again to Indian health care.

We have a responsibility to ensure that the health care needs of Native Americans are met.

The Senator asked me about backtracking. He made the same prediction in 2004 and then backtracked. I predict he will do the same thing.

That is exactly the case. Most people would not even believe that to be the case. They would say: How on Earth would someone have constructed a system that allows that to happen? Oh, but they did, and they have fiercely protected it. The…

This issue is about discrimination, but it goes far beyond this case or discrimination in these circumstances. It goes to the fair pay issue which the Senator from Maryland has been fighting for here in this Chamber for months and years…

I'm very interested in the Essential Air Services.

This would go a long way in expediting construction projects and ensuring the maximum number of workers in Indian country are put to work quickly.

Senator Dorgan's request of $344 million for new construction of K-12 school facilities and $150 million for maintenance and repair of K-12 school facilities is similar to NIEA's request.