Heidi Heitkamp

Yes. I did say that the 1232s are still not adequate.

The Congress is currently considering a minimum wage increase.

If we don't do it here, we will continue to spin our wheels.

It is so tough, because we want absolutely the highest quality. But we also don't want to credential our way out of a program.

I really applaud the programs that you have described as really requiring a high level.

They are finding it extraordinarily difficult to meet the Federal standard.

But let me tell you the story. Two little boys on the school bus beat up two little girls on the school bus.

I am wondering how, I mean, that is a long-term solution. But how do we deal with the emergency of that issue?

But we have absolutely got to engage the entire community, and in fact, the local government, which in this case is in many cases tribal government.

Thank you, and I guess I should congratulate my good friend from Montana, Jon Tester, on taking over on this Committee.

Mr. Chairman, if I can ask, as you work through that, if you can make those reports available to us.

I want to know what you are seeing in the work that you do and your agency does in mental health, and what you think can be done to address some of those concerns.

Investing in early education is investing in our future.

I think it needs to have flexibility, absolutely.

Are we sacrificing quality?

We need to take the steps that we took in VAWA to build the trust, to build the relationship, to work collaboratively.

These are very complicated and historically very difficult issues.

And I really encourage you to work within the court system, and I think we should create an expectation in the Congress...

We need to expand our part-time magistrate to be a full-time magistrate.

I would add to your challenge re-entry of Native American kids who come in and out of juvenile justice facilities.

Re-entry has to be part, besides just the prosecution side, we have to get involved in re-entry.

We hope that it reflects the great need that we see for law enforcement and for law and order in Indian Country.

Until people believe that tribal, State and Federal authorities will act in unison and without bias, it is going to be extraordinarily difficult to do that kind of agreement.

I think we can all agree that when everybody works together and when we provide a collective network, so that jurisdictional differences or jurisdictional boundaries do not prevent justice from being served, that is the better method.

Violent crime rates across Indian Country are twice as high as the national average.