Heidi Heitkamp

I believe there needs to be a robust cost benefit analysis for any major rule, or any major deregulation.

But we need to make a statement right now, and you need to be able to go back to other agencies that want to take this kind of shortcut.

I have assured my colleagues that this is going to be done professionally, and it is hard to take a look at this rule and say this was done professionally.

But this is not any way to run the railroad, and we need to lay down a marker right now, that we are going to be watching for this kind of backhanded, ham-handed, irresponsible kind of rulemaking process.

This is not some ethereal academic study that we are talking about here. This is about what goes into the purse at the end of the night, that helps people live.

This is the difference of whether people can put food on the table.

I would like to see all the evidence that went into it.

OIRA has been called many things--a gatekeeper, a dispassionate and analytical second opinion, and even one of Washington's most powerful offices, and I would add to that that no one has ever heard of.

I don't understand this budget. So in 2016 BIA submitted a report to Congress estimating that to provide a minimum, a minimum, base level of public safety and judicial services to all federally-recognized tribes, it would cost…

If you can just indulge me, one more question. Would you agree that right today, in North Dakota, we have inadequate, grossly inadequate law enforcement services in Indian Country?

The highest rates of criminality and the lowest rates of protection by law enforcement.

And some of the highest rates of violent crime in this Country.

I have talked to the Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, about this. This cannot get ignored.

It's critical that we address the unique challenges faced by Native Americans.

The highest rates of drug use.

If we are not willing to step up, then let's just admit that they are second class citizens.

I want to thank my colleagues, Senator Murkowski, but I also want to greatly thank my colleagues, Senator Smith and Senator Cortez Masto.

I want to know how we are going to be more resilient and more redundant both on power and on communications.

This has to be a priority, because I do not want to see what happened in Puerto Rico happen again.

I agree with the Chairman that we want to mitigate and look at how we can avoid the moral hazard of continuing to do the same old thing.

This has to be one of our highest priorities.

I am very concerned about the ongoing challenges that Puerto Rico experiences.

The whole country should be helping to help Puerto Rico recover.

I proudly join and support all of my co-sponsors, and I encourage a quick resolution out of this Committee and hard work on the floor of the Senate to get this thing passed in the U.S. Senate.

I think this effort is exactly that, and I think all of us who have worked on this, especially the four of us who have been particularly engaged, will have something to talk about.