Not only is that an unacceptable way to receive a response, but it was also unsatisfactory--it was light on details and did not address many of our questions.

when these--when things like this happen, these contamination issues, it takes a tremendous toll on not just the person who is being affected by it but the entire community.

I am also deeply disappointed to see that BIA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary John Tahsuda and BIE Director Tony Dearman are not here today to testify, despite an invitation from Chairman Grijalva and Chairman Gallego.

I am disheartened that Mr. Tahsuda and Director Dearman, both of whom were invited to testify today, chose not to come.

I was just thinking--I was recently--I gave the commencement speech at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute.

BIE must be held accountable for their inaction in response to the concerns raised about Chemawa.

Sometimes the unemployment rate is as high as 50 or 60 percent, and it just seems that those are opportunities that we could increase in those areas.

I can confidently tell you that no tribal leader that I have talked to understands what the agency is doing.

During the 5 months I have been in office I have met with over 300 Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and 90 percent of the time the issue they raise the most is the lack of tribal consultation prior to the Department of the…

It seems that we are both in agreement that if the Interior makes a unilateral decision on a policy that impacts tribes in this country, then there has not been adequate tribal consultation.

What happened during the reorganization was a clear breach of the Interior's policy to consult with tribes.

What is your duty with respect to all of that?