[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 135 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H11267-H11268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR STUDY ON POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AFFECTING ALASKA NATIVES

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3973) to provide for a study of the recommendations 
of the Joint Federal-State Commission on Policies and Programs 
Affecting Alaska Natives, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3973

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY.

       The Congress finds and declares the following:
       (1) The Joint Federal-State Commission on Policies and 
     Programs Affecting Alaska Natives (hereafter in this Act 
     referred to as the ``Alaska Natives Commission'') was 
     established by Public Law 101-379 (42 U.S.C. 2991a note) 
     following the publication in 1989 of the ``Report on the 
     Status of Alaska Natives: A Call for Action'' by the Alaska 
     Federation of Natives and after extensive congressional 
     hearings which focused on the need for the first 
     comprehensive assessment of the social, cultural, and 
     economic condition of Alaska's 86,000 Natives since the 
     enactment of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Public 
     Law 92-203.
       (2) The 14 member Alaska Natives Commission held 15 
     regional hearings throughout Alaska between July 1992 and 
     October 1993, and 2 statewide hearings in Anchorage 
     coinciding with the Conventions of 1992 and 1993 of the 
     Alaska Federation of Natives. In May 1994, the Alaska Natives 
     Commission issued its 3 volume, 440 page report. As required 
     by Public Law 101-379, the report was formally conveyed to 
     the Congress, the President of the United States, and the 
     Governor of Alaska.
       (3) The Alaska Natives Commission found that many Alaska 
     Native individuals, families, and communities were 
     experiencing a social, cultural, and economic crisis marked 
     by rampant unemployment, lack of economic opportunity, 
     alcohol abuse, depression, and morbidity and mortality 
     rates that have been described by health care 
     professionals as ``staggering''.
       (4) The Alaska Natives Commission found that due to the 
     high rate of unemployment and lack of economic opportunities 
     for Alaska Natives, government programs for the poor have 
     become the foundation of many village economies. Displacing 
     traditional Alaska Native social safety nets, these well-
     meaning programs have undermined the healthy interdependence 
     and self-sufficiency of Native tribes and families and have 
     put Native tribes and families at risk of becoming permanent 
     dependencies of Government.
       (5) Despite these seemingly insurmountable problems, the 
     Alaska Natives Commission found that Alaska Natives, building 
     on the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, had begun a 
     unique process of critical self-examination which, if 
     supported by the United States Congress through innovative 
     legislation, and effective public administration at all 
     levels including traditional native governance, could provide 
     the basis for an Alaska Native social, cultural, economic, 
     and spiritual renewal.
       (6) The Alaska Natives Commission recognized that the key 
     to the future well-being of Alaska Natives lay in--
       (A) the systematic resumption of responsibility by Alaska 
     Natives for the well-being of their members,
       (B) the strengthening of their economies,
       (C) the strengthening, operation, and control of their 
     systems of governance, social services, education, health 
     care, and law enforcement, and
       (D) exercising rights they have from their special 
     relationship with the Federal Government and as citizens of 
     the United States and Alaska.
       (7) The Alaska Natives Commission recognized that the 
     following 3 basic principles must be respected in addressing 
     the myriad of problems facing Alaska Natives:
       (A) Self-reliance.
       (B) Self-determination.
       (C) Integrity of Native cultures.
       (8) There is a need to address the problems confronting 
     Alaska Natives. This should be done rapidly, with certainty, 
     and in conformity with the real economic, social, and 
     cultural needs of Alaska Natives.
       (9) Congress retains and has exercised its constitutional 
     authority over Native affairs in Alaska subsequent to the 
     Treaty of Cession and does so now through this Act.

     SEC. 2. ALASKA NATIVE IMPLEMENTATION STUDY.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds and declares that--
       (1) the Alaska Natives Commission adopted certain 
     recommendations raising important policy questions which are 
     unresolved in Alaska and which require further study and 
     review before Congress considers legislation to implement 
     solutions to address these recommendations; and
       (2) the Alaska Federation of Natives is the representative 
     body of statewide Alaska Native interests best suited to 
     further investigate and report to Congress with proposals to 
     implement the recommendations of the Alaska Natives 
     Commission.
       (b) Grant.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     shall make a grant to the Alaska Federation of Natives to 
     conduct the study and submit the report required by this 
     section. Such grant may only be made if the Alaska Federation 
     of Natives agrees to abide by the requirements of this 
     section.
       (c) Study.--Pursuant to subsection (b), the Alaska 
     Federation of Natives shall--
       (1) examine the recommendations of the Alaska Natives 
     Commission;
       (2) examine initiatives in the United States, Canada, and 
     elsewhere for successful ways that issues similar to the 
     issues addressed by the Alaska Natives Commission have been 
     addressed;
       (3) conduct hearings within the Alaska Native community on 
     further ways in which the Commission's recommendations might 
     be implemented; and
       (4) recommend enactment of specific provisions of law and 
     other actions the Congress should take to implement such 
     recommendations.
       (d) Consideration of Local Control.--In developing its 
     recommendations pursuant to subsection (c)(4), the Alaska 
     Federation of Natives shall give specific attention to the 
     ways in which the recommendations may be achieved at the 
     local level with maximum local control of the implementation 
     of the recommendations.
       (e) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date on 
     which the grant is made under subsection (b), the Alaska 
     Federation of Natives shall submit a report on the study 
     conducted under this section, together with the 
     recommendations developed pursuant to subsection (c)(4), to 
     the President and the Congress and to the Governor and 
     legislature of the State of Alaska. In addition, the Alaska 
     Federation of Natives shall make the report available to 
     Alaska Native villages and organizations and to the general 
     public.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated $350,000 for the grant under subsection 
     (b).
       (g) Additional State Funding.--The Congress encourages the 
     State of Alaska to provide the additional funding necessary 
     for the completion of the study under this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from

[[Page H11268]]

Alaska [Mr. Young] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. 
Faleomavaega] each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young].
  (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3973 is legislation which I 
introduced in consultation with the Alaska Federation of Natives. This 
legislation will authorize a study to assist in the implementation of 
the recommendations of the Joint Federal/State Commission on Policies 
and Programs affecting Alaska Natives and is needed to begin to address 
the social and economic crisis of Alaska Natives.
  The primary focus of the 1992 Commission study was to provide an in-
depth analysis, with specific recommendations to Congress, the 
President of the United States, the Alaska Legislature, the Governor of 
the State of Alaska and the Native community on the social and economic 
conditions of Alaska Natives. The Commission completed 2 years of 
research, public hearings and task force discussion and submitted its 
report in May of 1994.
  The Committee on Resources held a joint oversight hearing in November 
of 1995 with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the 
Senate Indian Affairs Committee to hear testimony on the Alaska Native 
Commission report dated May 1994 from the Alaska Native Community, the 
Governor of the State of Alaska and from the administration. Their 
testimony focused on recommendations provided by the Commission report 
on how to address the extremely volatile social and economic conditions 
of Alaska Natives. This legislation is the outcome of the testimony 
accepted by all entities in the first step of addressing the crisis 
status of Alaska Natives.
  The Administration has verbally stated no opposition to this 
legislation and has a letter forthcoming.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for passage of H.R. 3973.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1400

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this legislation of 
my colleague from Alaska, the distinguished chairman of the committee 
and the chief sponsor of this bill.
  We share the majority's concern, Mr. Speaker, about the need to do 
something to improve the economic and social conditions of Alaska 
Natives. We are proud of the work we have done on a bipartisan basis 
with the other side in the past. We hope that the chairman and the 
Alaskan Federation of Natives will continue to work with us on this 
issue.
  Mr. Speaker, we agree with the thrust of the 1994 report on the Joint 
Federal-State Commission on Policies and Programs Affecting Alaska 
Natives. Both the Congress and the State must give Alaskan Native 
tribes greater opportunities for self-governance. One obvious form 
would be in terms of enhanced governmental powers, some that we have 
successfully fought for through passage of Self-Determination Act 
amendments of 1994, and the Self-Governance Act of 1994.
  Another obvious form that would be the recognition and protection of 
Alaskan Native subsistence hunting and fishing rights, including those 
won recently by Natives in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in 
the ``Katie John'' decision, as well as congressional review of whether 
or not ``Indian Country'' exists in Alaska.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all too aware of the fact that of the more than 
200 Alaskan Native villages, two-thirds of them do not have piped water 
and sewer systems. Even health clinics do not have running water. In 
the Copper River Basin area, incidences of fetal alcohol syndrome in 
the late 1980's occurred at the astonishing rate of 350 per 1,000 live 
births. A recent CDC study shows Alaskan Natives are dying from 
tobacco-related illnesses at a higher rate than any other group in 
Alaska. Despite the fact Alaskan Natives have the highest medium income 
among all Native Americans, more than 25 percent still live below the 
poverty level.
  Mr. Speaker, these statistics are, in a word, heartbreaking. There is 
no question we take our commitment to improving the lives of Native 
Americans seriously. We intend to do something about these conditions. 
We simply believe we can do something more quickly if we can work 
together as we have tried and are doing so on a bipartisan basis.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this legislation.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ewing). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3973, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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