Jeff Merkley

We have a lot of Tribes in both of our states, and a lot of work to be done on many fronts.

I hope the results of those meetings will be that these Tribes that haven't been able to participate in the program, will be able to get their feet on the ground, and get started.

Please, any extra attention you can give to that Warm Springs project will be much, much appreciated.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. I am going to be pretty strict about us sticking to our time limits.

I do not want to see us moving backwards.

The Budget is a historic step and the start of an ongoing conversation with Tribes to ensure the IHS system is meeting the healthcare needs in Indian Country.

A major driver is a $742 million increase to expand access to health care across all IHS Direct Service lines.

It is imperative to look at a wide range of topics, because those topics are so interwoven.

This subcommittee will come to order.

I am quite pleased that we had that legislative achievement, and I hope the advance helps with the predictable and stable funding for years to come.

Will you commit to making sure that Oregon and other states that don't have their own Green Banks can still have access to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund?

I am very pleased to see the proposal for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

It seems like that is at odds with bipartisan support for water infrastructure.

Would that proposal significantly cut the removal of lead pipes, resulting in more damage to more children?

I am still concerned that the EPA is failing to protect frontline communities already overburdened with toxic chemicals and other forms of pollution when it comes to that process.

Similarly, approval expanding a fossil fuel pipeline in my state is contrary to the steps that Oregon has taken to build a clean energy future.

Adding new emissions through pipeline expansions, like the GTN Xpress, is incompatible with President Biden's pledge, and it would undermine Oregon's efforts for a clean energy future.

The world needs American leadership and to lead we have to have the power of our example.

I adamantly oppose the Biden administration's approval of fossil fuel projects, one project after another.

Once we lose them there, they are gone. And we know how hard it is to get the phosphorus out of the lake.

And for the first time, we provided $5 million specifically for FRIMA activities.

Those two species were like the core of the diet that supported the tribes from time immemorial.

We need to really reduce the risk of fire and that means directing resources to do forest management.

I want to turn to the Western Oregon operating plan (WOOP), as it is referred to, and this is a plan that coordinates the approach to wildfire response.