[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 78 (Friday, May 11, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S6018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. STEVENS (for himself and Ms. Murkowski):
  S. 1368. A bill to amend the Denali Commission Act of 1998 to modify 
the authority of the Commission; to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have come to the floor to introduce S. 
1368, a bill to reauthorize a Federal-State partnership known as the 
Denali Commission. This Commission plays a crucial role in the 
development of basic infrastructure for communities in rural Alaska.
  The Denali Commission was originally established by Congress in 1998. 
The unique structure of the Commission ensures the most efficient 
allocation of Federal funds, as it caps administrative expenses at 5 
percent and capitalizes on the use of strategic partnerships. Over the 
course of the past decade, the Commission has partnered with Federal 
and State agencies, tribal organizations, and local communities to 
address the unique challenges associated with living in Alaska. In just 
a short period of time, the Commission has improved the living 
conditions of rural Alaska by providing job training, teacher housing 
and funds to improve options for handling solid waste. The bulk fuel 
projects undertaken by the Commission have reduced the costs of rural 
energy. The health clinics have increased the availability of health 
services to rural villages that are isolated from metropolitan areas. 
There are 240 Alaska Native Villages, and over 100 communities have 
been served by the Denali Commission.
  Although the Denali Commission has made tremendous strides to ensure 
rural Alaska has basic living conditions, there still is work to be 
done. Many of the rural communities have no roads and their 
transportation infrastructure is deteriorating. Numerous villages can 
only be accessed by water, and the docks in the communities are in 
desperate need of repair. The projects conducted by the Denali 
Commission not only keep communities connected to mainstream Alaska, 
projects also foster economic growth. The unemployment rates in many 
villages remain above 50 percent. The high cost of basic needs, such as 
milk and oil, coupled with public infrastructure that is comparable to 
developing nations create difficult circumstance in rural Alaska. The 
Denali Commission is our best hope for properly addressing these issues 
and meeting the needs of Alaskans.
  The continuation of the Denali Commission's presence in rural Alaska 
is of critical importance to the future of rural Alaska. The bill I 
introduce today would reauthorize the Denali Commission for 5 years, 
through fiscal year 2014.
  Other provisions of this bill would also amend the Denali Commission 
Act of 1998 to make the Commission stronger and more efficient.
  Senator Murkowski is an original cosponsor of this legislation, and 
it is our hope the Senate will act quickly to reauthorize the Denali 
Commission.
                                 ______