[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 86 (Thursday, June 19, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF ALASKA NATIVE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT AMENDMENTS

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                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 19, 1997

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to offer legislation 
on amendments to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to make 
certain clarifications to the land bank protection provisions, and for 
other purposes. Last year, the House passed H.R. 2505, however, the 
U.S. Senate did not consider this legislation in the 104th Congress.
  This legislation is identical to H.R. 2505 from the 104th Congress. 
The Alaska Federation of Natives, the State of Alaska, the 
administration and members and staff of the Committee on Resources have 
spent the last year and a half to reach a consensus with 
noncontroversial provisions.
  For example, the bill would amend ANCSA to correct an inconsistency 
in current Federal law by allowing Regional Corporations to elect to 
acquire oil, gas, and coal estates reserved to the Federal Government 
beneath Native allotments surrounded or adjacent to subsurface lands 
conveyed to the Corporations pursuant to section 12 (a) of (b) of 
ANCSA.
  Another provision would extend the exemption period from estate and 
gift tax for stock through its period of inalienability.
  This bill would also amend ANILCA to extend the automatic land 
protections to land trades between village corporations, intraregional 
corporation land trades and Native Corporation land trades with the 
Federal or State governments.
  Mr. Speaker, I offer this bill at this time to begin the process of 
reviewing each of these important provisions and others which affect 
Alaskans. I welcome comments on this important bill to ensure that we 
pass a noncontroversial bill at a later date.

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