For Immediate Release
March 24, 2021
Contact:
Manu Tupper or Mike Inacay (Schatz) at press@indian.senate.gov
SCHATZ LEADS INDIAN AFFAIRS OVERSIGHT HEARING ON WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, led an oversight hearing, “Build Back Better: Water Infrastructure Needs for Native Communities.” The committee heard from Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Chairman Raymond Tsumpti, Colorado River Indian Tribes Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Interim President Valerie Nurr’araaluk Davidson, and Navajo Department of Water Resources Director Jason John.
Schatz made clear his objective to hear from Native leaders who would speak directly to the challenge of meeting their communities’ basic water needs and to the resources needed to address aging infrastructure.
“The federal government has a special trust responsibility to ensure the general welfare of Native communities, and the trust responsibility extends to providing access to clean, reliable water,” said Chairman Schatz. “We still have communities in the United States of America that don’t have safe drinking water, and that is totally unacceptable… If we’re going to move forward on an infrastructure package together, especially for Native American communities, first things first – water.”
To view the full video of the hearing, click here.
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