The Senate Indian Affairs Committee's first two hearings of the 109th Congress will focus on President Bush's fiscal year 2005 budget request.

The hearings will take place on February 15 and February 16. A witness list has not been made public yet.

The committee in years past has held several hearings on the president's budget. Administration officials and tribal leaders present their views on funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service and other federal agencies and programs.

The hearings are the first under new chairman Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona).

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Senate Indian Affairs Committee - http://indian.senate.gov

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