[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 165 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15159-S15160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           NATIVE HIRING BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN ALASKA

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 748) to improve Native 
hiring and contracting by the Federal Government within the State of 
Alaska, and for other purposes, which had been reported from the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with amendments; as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown in 
italic.)

                                 S. 748

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

     SECTION 1. REPORT.

       (a) Within six months after the enactment of this Act the 
     Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the 
     ``Secretary'' shall submit a report detailing the progress 
     the Department has made in the implementation of the 
     provisions of sections 1307 and 1308 of the Alaska National 
     Interest Lands Conservation Act and [section 638] provisions 
     of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
     Act. The report shall include a detailed action plan on the 
     future implementation of the provisions of sections 1307 and 
     1308 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
     and [section 638] provisions of the Indian Self-Determination 
     and Education Assistance Act. The report shall describe, in 
     detail, the measures and actions that will be taken, along 
     with a description of the anticipated results to be achieved 
     during the next three fiscal years. The report shall focus on 
     lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of the 
     Interior in Alaska and shall also address any laws, rules, 
     regulations and policies which act as a deterrent to hiring 
     Native Alaskans or contracting with Native Alaskans to 
     perform and conduct activities and programs of those agencies 
     and bureaus under the jurisdiction of the Department of the 
     Interior.
       (b) The report shall be completed within existing 
     appropriations and shall be transmitted to the Committee on 
     Resources of the United States Senate; and the Committee on 
     Resources of the United States House of Representatives.

     SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) In furtherance of the goals of sections 1307 and 1308 
     of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act and 
     the provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
     Assistance Act, the Secretary shall--
       (1) implement pilot programs to employ residents of local 
     communities at the following units of the National Park 
     System located in northwest Alaska:
       (A) Bering Land Bridge National Preserve,
       (B) Cape Krusenstern National Monument,
       (C) Kobuk Valley National Park, and
       (D) Noatak National Preserve; and
       (2) report on the results of the programs within one year 
     to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
     United States and the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (b) In implementing the programs, the Secretary shall 
     consult with the Native Corporations, non-profit 
     organizations, and Tribal entities in the immediate vicinity 
     of such units and shall also, to the extent practicable, 
     involve such groups in the development of interpretive 
     materials and the pilot programs relating to such units.
       [(c) The objective of such programs shall be, to the extent 
     possible, to establish cooperative arrangements, through 
     contracts or other means, that will allow local communities 
     and residents to assume administrative and management 
     responsibilities for those units, or portions of those units, 
     of the National Park System in a manner that will accomplish 
     the purposes for which the units were established and 
     consistent with policies set forth in the Act of August 23, 
     1916 (39 Stat. 535, 16 U.S.C. 1).
       [(d) Park Service Employees.--(1) Any career employee of 
     the National Park Service, employed at one of the Alaska 
     northwest parks at the time of the transfer of an operation 
     or program to a local Native entity by contract, shall not be 
     separated from the Service by reason of such transfer.
       [(2) Any career employee of he National Park Service 
     employed at any one of the parks in northwest Alaska at the 
     time of the transfer of an operation or program to a local 
     Native entity shall be given priority placement for any 
     available position within the National Park Service System 
     notwithstanding any priority reemployment lists, directives, 
     rules, regulations or other orders from the Department of the 
     Interior, the Office of Management and Budget, or other 
     Federal agencies.]

  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 748), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                 S. 748

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

     SECTION 1. REPORT.

       (a) Within six months after the enactment of this Act the 
     Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the 
     ``Secretary'' shall submit a report detailing the progress 
     the Department has made in the implementation of the 
     provisions of sections 1307 and 1308 of the Alaska National 
     Interest Lands Conservation Act and provisions of the Indian 
     Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. The report 
     shall include a detailed action plan on the future 
     implementation of the provisions of sections 1307 and 1308 of 
     the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act and 
     provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
     Assistance Act. The report shall describe, in detail, the 
     measures and actions that will be taken, along with a 
     description of the anticipated results to be achieved during 
     the next three fiscal years. The report shall focus on lands 
     under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior in 
     Alaska and shall also

[[Page S15160]]

     address any laws, rules, regulations and policies which act 
     as a deterrent to hiring Native Alaskans or contracting with 
     Native Alaskans to perform and conduct activities and 
     programs of those agencies and bureaus under the jurisdiction 
     of the Department of the Interior.
       (b) The report shall be completed within existing 
     appropriations and shall be transmitted to the Committee on 
     Resources of the United States Senate; and the Committee on 
     Resources of the United States House of Representatives.

     SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) In furtherance of the goals of sections 1307 and 1308 
     of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act and 
     the provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
     Assistance Act, the Secretary shall--
       (1) implement pilot programs to employ residents of local 
     communities at the following units of the National Park 
     System located in northwest Alaska:
       (A) Bering Land Bridge National Preserve,
       (B) Cape Krusenstern National Monument,
       (C) Kobuk Valley National Park, and
       (D) Noatak National Preserve; and
       (2) report on the results of the programs within one year 
     to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
     United States and the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (b) In implementing the programs, the Secretary shall 
     consult with the Native Corporations, non-profit 
     organizations, and Tribal entities in the immediate vicinity 
     of such units and shall also, to the extent practicable, 
     involve such groups in the development of interpretive 
     materials and the pilot programs relating to such units.

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