Speaker C
48:43 - 49:29
"when the Department of Commerce originally testified on this bill in— yes, it was 1999— the official stated, since the cost of the authority could be significant, I believe it is important to emphasize that the department cannot currently perform the work required."
“when the Department of Commerce originally testified on this bill in— yes, it was 1999— the official stated, since the cost of the authority could be significant, I believe it is important to emphasize that the department cannot currently perform the work required.”
- Speaker
- Speaker C
- Timestamp
- 48:43 – 49:29
- Source
- House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing
- Community
- Alaska News
- Captured at
- June 9, 2026
From the transcript
We'd like it for the Commerce Department to understand more, but an agency that understands, because it's part of their job, what does it mean to have economic development? Because when the Department of Commerce originally testified on this bill in— yes, it was 1999— the official stated, since the cost of the authority could be significant, I believe it is important to emphasize that the department cannot currently perform the work required. And at a time when this administration has decimated staff against— across the federal agencies, I want to make sure that the Interior officials are ready to actually do this work. What do they need from us? What can we do to make sure that this transfer is successful?
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