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Audio: Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on child trauma

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee. Photo from SCIA

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee focused on childhood trauma in Indian Country at its final hearing of the 113th Congress this afternoon.

Committee members were eager to discuss why American Indian and Alaska Native children experience higher rates of trauma than their peers. But the outcome of the recent election in which Republicans secured control of the Senate weighed on the minds of lawmakers.

"This will be my last hearing as chairman," observed Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), who ran the committee for less than a year.

"This is going to be my last meeting also," added Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), who conceded his re-election campaign to Republican Dan Sullivan on Monday.

The shift in power means the committee will be changing leadership for the third time in three years. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), the current vice chair, has said he wants to take over in the next session of Congress.

Barrasso's agenda for Indian Country isn't well known at this point. But a fellow committee member hoped that American Indian and Alaska Native children will remain a priority no matter who is in charge.

"I'd like to have this hearing again, basically," said Sen. Al Franken (D-Minnesota).

Committee members also felt rushed due to a series of votes that were scheduled on the Senate floor only 30 minutes after the hearing began. But they were able to keep the proceeding going as long as possible by trading off the gavel in order to hear from a panel of federal officials and health experts.

“The problem of childhood trauma is a multigenerational and societal problem,” said Yvette Roubideaux, the acting director of the Indian Health Service.