I will tell you personally from my staff's experience, we continuously have issues gaining information from IHS employees who observe some of these incidents but are fearful to step forward.

Dr. Eccarius contacted Sen. Thune's office regarding the roadblocks encountered in dealing with the IHS system with respect to this case.

Madam President, one of the things the Republicans were determined to do when we took the majority in the Senate last January was to get the Senate working again for American families. Under Democratic control, the Senate had basically…

I too want to thank you and Senator Tester for holding this hearing and shining a light on what is a major crisis in Indian Country in the Great Plains.

I think it is important to remember that the solution to every problem is not growing the administrative size of the agency.

That statement is on file with Senator john Thune's office.

When there is fraud, misconduct, incompetence, criminal activity, you do not need a long investigation for that.

This is about people who die; this is about living and dying.

The Indian health care issue is underfunded by half.

Do you feel that IHS is responsive to the concerns of the tribal council and the Tribal Chairman's Health Board when they bring forward issues?

We spend twice as much per person providing health care for those we incarcerate in America's prisons than we do to meet the promise of health care for American Indians.

It has been approved and the paperwork has been waiting in Aberdeen for 18 months to be signed.