Ron Wyden

We commend Senators Murkowski, Wyden, and Udall for crafting comprehensive and bipartisan legislation that will help create a more secure and domestic supply chain for critical minerals.

But again thanks to the leadership of this committee we were able to get enacted into law the helium stewardship act which avoided a very dire situation.

It has been a pleasure to join Senator Murkowski in negotiating a truly bipartisan bill as evidenced by the 9 Democratic and 8 Republican cosponsors.

MSIC commends Chairman Wyden, Ranking Member Murkowski, the cosponsors of the Critical Minerals Act of 2013, and the members of this Committee for recognizing the national importance of critical minerals and for your efforts to address…

It seems to me, Senator Murkowski, this is a testament to the bipartisan effort to reach agreement.

The goal of your legislation is laudable, it puts Oregon's economic and environmental future at risk

Funding county budgets by aggressive logging on public lands is a failed model

Will it preserve Oregon's environmental values and pass on a natural legacy to future generations? Yes it will

I am pleased that you mentioned the increased oversight and vigilance because as much as anything, when you have a good program--that is why I started by saying the Claims Conference does incredibly important work--what you want to send in…

I just want you to know, having watched your work for many years and having worked with a number of the people involved in your programs, we so appreciate what you are doing.

I commend you for scheduling a very important hearing on a topic that really gets short shrift.

They are talking about hopes and dreams that they had had for years essentially evaporating because their pension is not going to be there.

I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a business meeting has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Thursday, December 19, 2013, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD-366…

I will just note that for the record.

In nominating Mr. Kornze, the President has chosen a voice for the west and common-sense conservation to lead this vital agency.

I believe that we found a way to do it.

I just hope you will send the strongest possible message with your actions and your words early on that you want people in this country to understand that impartiality is going to be the coin of the realm.

I hope that you will make that a priority early on.

I want to pick up on Chairman Baucus's point with respect to tax simplification.

A simpler tax code could help you stretch your resources at the Service in order to focus on areas of greater need.

Restoring these tribes' homelands so that they can exercise their sovereignty is very important to these tribes.

These bills are necessary to enable the tribes to exercise their authority as sovereign entities and to write historical wrongs.

Without land, a tribe cannot properly grow its economy, retain its cultural or religious heritage, or protect the interests of its members.

When tribes are empowered, they create jobs for Indians and non-Indians alike.

I am especially interested in going back to the skills at bringing people together.