[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1755]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO AMEND THE ALASKA NATIVE CLAIMS 
                             SETTLEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 5, 1999

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation 
that would address several matters of concern to Alaska Natives through 
an amendment to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).
  As my colleagues know, ANCSA was enacted in 1971, stimulated by the 
need to address Native land claims as well as the desire to clear the 
way for the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and thereby 
provide our country with access to the petroleum resources of Alaska's 
North Slope. As the years pass, issues arise which require amending 
that Act. The Resources Committee as a matter of course routinely 
considers such amendments and brings them before the House.
  Consequently, I am introducing this bill containing several such 
amendments to ANCSA in order to facilitate having its provisions 
circulated during the upcoming Congressional recess through the 
Congress and the Administration as well as the State of Alaska for 
review and consideration.
  This bill has nine provisions. One provision would allow common stock 
to be willed to adopted-out descendants and another would clarify the 
liability for contaminated lands. The clarification of contaminated 
land would declare that no person acquiring interest in land under this 
Act shall be liable for the costs of removal or remedial action, any 
damages, or any third party liability arising out or as a result of any 
contamination on that land at the time the land was acquired under this 
Act.


                   Section 5. Alaska Native Veterans

  Section 5 of the bill amends the Act further to allow equal access to 
Alaska Native Veterans who served in the military or other armed 
services during the Viet Nam war. Alaska Natives have faithfully 
answered the call of duty when asked to serve in the armed services. In 
fact, American Indians and Alaska Natives generally have the highest 
record of answering the call to duty.
  Under the Native Allotment Act, Alaska natives were allowed to apply 
for lands which they traditionally used as fish camps, berry picking 
camps or hunting camps. However, many of our Alaska natives answered 
the call to duty and served in the services during the Viet Nam war and 
were unable to apply for their native allotment. This provision allows 
them to apply for their native allotments and would expand the dates to 
include the full years of the Viet Nam war. The original dates 
recommended by the Administration only allowed the dates January 1, 
1969 to December 31, 1971. Our Alaska Natives veterans should not be 
penalized for serving during the entire dates of the Viet Nam conflict. 
This provision corrects that inequity by expanding the dates to reflect 
all the years of the Viet Nam war--August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975.


          Section 8. Elim Native Corporation Land Restoration

  In 1917, the Norton Bay Reservation was established on 350,000 acres 
of land located on the north side of Norton Bay southeast of Nome, 
Alaska for the benefit of Alaska Natives who now reside in the village 
of Elim, Alaska. The purpose of the establishment of the reservation 
included providing a land, economic, subsistence, and resources base 
for the people of that area.
  In 1929, through an Executive Order, 50,000 acres of land were 
deleted from the reservation with little consultation and certainly 
without the informed consent of the people who were to be most affected 
by such a deletion. After passage of ANCSA, only the remaining 300,000 
acres of the original Reservation were conveyed to the Elim Native 
Corporation. This loss of land from the original Reservation has become 
over the years a festering wound to the people of Elim. It now needs to 
be healed through the restoration or replacement of the deleted fifty 
thousand acres of land to the Native Village Corporation authorized by 
ANCSA to hold such land.
  As I am sure my colleagues will agree, the history of our nation 
reflects many examples of injustices to Native Americans. As hearings 
will confirm, this is one of those calls out to be sensibly remedied 
and can be with relative ease as outlined in this section of the bill.
  Again, I am introducing this bill today to facilitate having its 
provisions circulated and reviewed during the August recess by the 
Department of the Interior, the State of Alaska and Alaska natives.

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