Derek Kilmer

We will make sure you all see copies of what it does, and to me, this is a good government bill.

It impacts our country and it impacts your tribe, and, therefore, he signed onto it, and that is a testament to his leadership.

It is rare for someone from Montana to sign on to a bill that is focused on helping coastal tribes relocate.

Every tribe in the Pacific Northwest, when they sign treaties, they retain their right to fish in their traditional places of fishing.

I will tell you, my firm belief is if it had not been for the Indian tribes, those fish would be extinct today.

Today we aren't focusing on the past. We are reviewing two bills that bring the Congressional Research Service and, by extension, this institution further into the future.

Thanks again to my colleagues, to the Subcommittee Chairwoman, and our Subcommittee colleagues.

It matters that they have access to the Federal data that they need to do their jobs.

Today we are not focusing on the past. We are reviewing two bills that bring the Congressional Research Service and, by extension, this institution further into the future.

Thank you, Madam Chair and my colleagues, for joining us here for our first Modernization Subcommittee markup.

We are also working on a bill called the Midwives Act, which would direct the DOD to establish a 5-year pilot to evaluate the use of professional midwives under the TRICARE program.

I am making a personal plea that you look at this, specifically related to Naval Hospital Bremerton and labor and delivery.

Childcare in Washington State costs, on average, $1,000 per kid per month.

In total, the Select Committee made 202 recommendations. At this point, about half have been partially or fully implemented.

We are not here enough. ... Ideally, we would be actually in D.C. more full days than travel days.

I think there is going to be a push by the Fix Congress Caucus and by others: Focus on the schedule and calendar.

One of the recommendations of the Modernization Committee was, let's try, insofar as is possible, to make that an entirely bipartisan experience.

That is one of the things that I think we are hoping to do.

I am here to talk about modernizing Congress.

I am here to both thank you for your past and continued partnership on modernization issues...

I think, actually, implementation of the Staff and Member Academy really matters.

Ideally, Congress is a place where policymaking happens in committees, not in leadership offices.

I can't think of a better way to finish my final term in Congress than by bringing these recommendations home...

The House Administration Committee's Modernization Subcommittee, where I serve as the ranking member alongside Chairwoman Stephanie Bice, has been tasked with driving implementation.

We looked at everything from congressional capacity to outdated technology to rising polarization.