[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 120 (Monday, July 14, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H3227-H3228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALASKA NATIVE VIETNAM ERA VETERANS LAND ALLOTMENT EXTENSION ACT OF 2025
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 410) to extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land
allotment program, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 410
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska Native Vietnam Era
Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF THE ALASKA NATIVE VIETNAM ERA VETERANS
LAND ALLOTMENT PROGRAM.
Section 1119(b)(3)(B) of the John D. Dingell, Jr.
Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (43 U.S.C.
1629g-1(b)(3)(B)) is amended by striking ``5-year period''
and inserting ``10-year period''.
[[Page H3228]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 410, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arkansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise to support H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans
Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025.
Sponsored by Representative Begich, this legislation would extend the
Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program for an
additional 5 years, to end on December 29, 2030.
Alaska Natives have long experienced land-related hardships.
Recognizing this, Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement
Act in 1971 to settle the aboriginal land claims of Alaska Natives.
Unfortunately, this congressional action coincided with the Vietnam
war, meaning that many Alaska Natives who were serving overseas in the
U.S. military at the time were unable to apply for a land allotment.
Congress has attempted to fix this problem legislatively over the
years, but many eligible Alaska Native veterans have yet to receive
their allotment.
Accordingly, the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment
program was established in the 116th Congress. Through this program,
eligible Alaska Natives, or their heirs, can select an allotment of up
to 160 acres of certain Federal land.
In January 2021, the Trump administration revoked 11 public land
orders, which opened up 28 million acres of Bureau of Land Management
land for allotment purposes. The next month, however, the newly elected
Biden administration postponed that revocation, prompting a battle that
waged throughout the rest of President Biden's term. During that time,
Alaska Natives remained without their allotments.
Immediately upon his return to office this year, President Trump
reinstated the revocation through an executive order titled
``Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential.''
While this executive order will help address Alaska Natives'
allotment needs, the program is running out of time. Recent estimates
show that over 2,000 eligible Alaska Native veterans had yet to receive
their allotment, illustrating a clear need for an extension.
H.R. 410 would provide this relief by extending the Alaska Native
Vietnam era veterans land allotment program for an additional 5 years.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Begich for sponsoring this
legislation, for his hard work on behalf of Alaska Native veterans, and
for ensuring that we keep our promises to those who fought for this
country.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 410, a bill that would extend the
Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program until 2030,
giving those brave men and women who served in the Vietnam war
additional time to apply for and claim the land allotments that they
were promised.
In 1906, Congress passed the Alaska Native Allotment Act to provide
individual Alaska Natives up to 160-acre allotments. However, this law
was later repealed with the passage of the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act in 1971. While many Alaska Natives were able to apply
for allotments prior to the ANCSA, others were unable to due to their
active military service at the time.
To correct the issue, Congress established the Alaska Native Vietnam
era veterans land allotment program in 2019. Under the program, Alaska
Native Vietnam-era veterans who served between 1964 and 1971 and had
not previously received an allotment, or their heirs, were deemed
eligible to apply.
Despite the number of veterans still eligible to apply, the program
is set to expire in December of this year. By extending the program
through 2030, Congress will reinforce our support for Native
communities and give eligible Alaska Native veterans the time they need
to apply for the land that they are entitled to.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
{time} 1700
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the lead sponsor of the bill.
Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on
H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment
Extension Act of 2025.
This bill extends the application period for the Alaska Native
Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program by 5 years, ensuring
eligible veterans can claim the land that they were promised.
For decades, thousands of Alaska Native veterans who served in
Vietnam were unfairly denied the ability to apply for land allotments
due to their service overseas. While Congress took steps to correct
this injustice, the executive branch until recently has been slowly
processing eligibility applications and conveyances, leaving many
veterans in limbo. As of January 2025, out of more than 2,000 eligible
Alaska Native veterans, only 41 applications have been certified, and
only 18 veterans have received their conveyances.
Fortunately, executive orders issued by the current administration
have reinstated Federal land withdrawals previously revoked, returning
lands to the State of Alaska and unlocking lands that had been closed.
This expansion of available land increases opportunities for veterans
to select and receive their rightful allotments. This bill will give
these veterans time to participate in the program with ample land for
viable selections.
These veterans served our country honorably, and we need to make sure
that they are not denied what they were promised.
Thank you for your consideration of H.R. 410. I urge my colleagues to
support this bill.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, again, would extend the
Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program through the
end of 2030.
I commend Mr. Begich for his leadership and for working on this
important issue for his constituents in Alaska.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of H.R. 410, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 410.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________