[House Report 106-451]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    106-451

======================================================================



 
      CHUGACH ALASKA NATIVES SETTLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 1999

                                _______
                                

November 5, 1999.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 2547]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 2547) to provide for the conveyance of land interests to 
Chugach Alaska Corporation to fulfill the intent, purpose, and 
promise of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, having 
considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment 
and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.
  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Chugach Alaska Natives Settlement 
Implementation Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

  For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:
          (1) The term ``ANCSA'' means the Alaska Native Claims 
        Settlement Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
          (2) The term ``ANILCA'' means the Alaska National Interest 
        Lands Conservation Act of 1980, as amended (16 U.S.C. 3101 et 
        seq.).

                      TITLE I--EASEMENT FOR ACCESS

SEC. 101. FINDINGS.

  The Congress finds that--
          (1) Chugach Alaska Corporation, formerly known as Chugach 
        Natives, Inc., is the Alaska Native Regional Corporation 
        organized under the authority of ANCSA for the Chugach people 
        in the Chugach region;
          (2) ANCSA promised the Chugach people a fair and just 
        settlement of their aboriginal claims to lands and waters in 
        Alaska;
          (3) pursuant to section 1430 of ANILCA, the Secretary of the 
        Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the State of Alaska, 
        and Chugach Alaska Corporation were directed to study land 
        ownership in and around the Chugach region for the purposes 
        of--
                  (A) providing a fair and just land settlement for the 
                Chugach people and realizing the intent, purpose, and 
                promise of ANCSA by Chugach Alaska Corporation; and
                  (B) identifying lands that, to the maximum extent 
                possible, are of the like, kind, and character of those 
                traditionally used and occupied by the Chugach people, 
                and, to the maximum extent possible, are coastal 
                accessible and economically viable;
          (4) on September 17, 1982, the aforementioned parties entered 
        into the 1982 Chugach Natives, Inc. Settlement Agreement in 
        order to set forth a fair and just land settlement for the 
        Chugach people pursuant to the study directed by Congress, 
        which among its many provisions--
                  (A) required the United States to convey to Chugach 
                Alaska Corporation not more than 73,308 acres of land 
                in the vicinity of Carbon Mountain, which tract of land 
                contains significant natural resources, but is 
                inaccessible by road;
                  (B) granted Chugach Alaska Corporation rights-of-way 
                across Chugach National Forest to such tract of land, 
                and required the United States to grant to Chugach 
                Alaska Corporation an easement for the purpose of 
                constructing, using, and maintaining roads and other 
                facilities necessary for the use and development of 
                that tract of land;
                  (C) required Chugach Alaska Corporation to apply to 
                the Forest Supervisor for Chugach National Forest for 
                conveyance of the easement, and to provide such 
                information as may be prescribed by the Forest 
                Supervisor; and
                  (D) reserved in the United States the right to 
                prepare environmental documents in connection with the 
                easement grant, consistent with the provisions of 
                section 910 of ANILCA, if deemed desirable by the 
                responsible Federal agency;
          (5) on September 11, 1996, the Forest Supervisor deemed 
        preparation of environmental documents for the easement 
        desirable;
          (6) on August 8, 1997, and January 21, 1998, Chugach Alaska 
        Corporation and the United States Forest Service entered into 
        collection agreements, pursuant to which Chugach Alaska 
        Corporation was required to pay to the United States Forest 
        Service the costs of United States Forest Service personnel 
        involvement in the preparation and review of environmental 
        documents and processing of the easement application;
          (7) on March 13, 1998, Chugach Alaska Corporation and the 
        United States Forest Service entered into a Memorandum of 
        Understanding, pursuant to which the parties reached agreement 
        on--
                  (A) the information prescribed by the Forest 
                Supervisor, in a detailed work plan prepared jointly by 
                United States Forest Service and Chugach Alaska 
                Corporation representatives;
                  (B) the process for the preparation and approval of 
                environmental documentation in support of the easement; 
                and
                  (C) the requirement that the United States Forest 
                Service grant an easement to Chugach Alaska Corporation 
                within 45 days after receiving a complete easement 
                application from Chugach Alaska Corporation;
          (8) In furtherance of providing the environmental 
        documentation prescribed by the Forest Supervisor, Chugach 
        Alaska Corporation, at its sole expense--
                  (A) contracted for the performance of field surveys 
                and the preparation of resource reports on the cultural 
                resources, wetlands, threatened, endangered, and 
                sensitive plant and animal species, vegetation, and 
                fish and wildlife in the easement project area, as 
                depicted on the map entitled ``Project Area and 
                Corridor Carbon Mountain Access Project 1-14-98''.
                  (B) submitted the resource reports to the United 
                States Forest Service for review and comment, and 
                contracted for further field surveys and reports as and 
                when requested by the United States Forest Service;
                  (C) in conjunction with United States Forest Service 
                biologists, contracted for the performance of field 
                surveys and the preparation of reports for waterfowl, 
                goshawk, and goat kidding areas in the easement project 
                area;
                  (D) contracted for the preparation of bridge designs 
                and hydrological analyses for major crossings within 
                the easement project area, submitted such designs and 
                analyses to the United States Forest Service for review 
                and comment, and modified such designs pursuant to 
                comments received from United States Forest Service 
                specialists;
                  (E) prepared a transportation plan for the easement 
                and road, including maintenance and design standards 
                and an erosion control plan, for review by United 
                States Forest Service engineers and specialists; and
                  (F) contracted for the preparation of a draft road 
                design for field and office review by United States 
                Forest Service engineers and specialists, and for the 
                modification of such design pursuant to comments 
                received by the United States Forest Service;
          (9) In June 1998, an interdisciplinary team of specialists in 
        the fields of fisheries, hydrology, engineering, soils, 
        wildlife, recreation, and visual quality from the United States 
        Forest Service and Chugach Alaska Corporation and its 
        contractors conducted an extensive field review of the easement 
        corridor and road location, the costs of which were borne by 
        Chugach Alaska Corporation, and United States Forest Service 
        specialists concurred with Chugach Alaska Corporation on the 
        location of the easement corridor;
          (10) Following the interdisciplinary team review and 
        concurrence, United States Forest Service staff officers, 
        including the Forest Supervisor for the Chugach National 
        Forest, conducted a field review of the road location and 
        affirmed such concurrence;
          (11) on January 12, 1999, the Forest Supervisor determined 
        that Chugach Alaska Corporation had completed all studies and 
        provided adequate documentation to support its easement 
        application;
          (12) on January 19, 1999, Chugach Alaska Corporation 
        submitted the complete easement application, containing all 
        information prescribed by the Forest Supervisor, in a 
        multivolume collection of the extensive field work, reviews, 
        reports, analyses, and modifications performed and relied upon 
        in support of the easement, and entitled ``Documentation in 
        Support of an Easement Application for Road Access Via the 
        Martin River Valley to the Bering River Coal Fields as Granted 
        by the 1982 CNI Settlement Agreement'';
          (13) to date, the United States Forest Service has failed to 
        grant Chugach Alaska Corporation an easement for access to its 
        lands in the vicinity of Carbon Mountain;
          (14) without such easement, the lands conveyed to Chugach 
        Alaska Corporation in the vicinity of Carbon Mountain cannot be 
        utilized or developed in a manner consistent with the intent of 
        congress as expressed in the ANILCA and ANCSA;
          (15) Chugach Alaska Corporation has incurred considerable 
        expense and delay in its efforts to achieve the fair and just 
        settlement Congress intended and promised to the Chugach people 
        more than 2 decades ago pursuant to ANCSA;
          (16) the easement requirement under the 1982 Chugach Natives, 
        Inc. Settlement Agreement should be granted without further 
        delay.

SEC. 102. PURPOSE.

  The purpose of this title is to provide Chugach Alaska Corporation 
with access to and for the utilization and development of land 
interests in the vicinity of Carbon Mountain that were conveyed to 
Chugach Alaska Corporation pursuant to ANCSA.

SEC. 103. CONVEYANCE.

  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, as soon as practicable 
but not later than 14 days after the date of the enactment of this 
title, the Secretary of Agriculture shall grant Chugach Alaska 
Corporation a perpetual easement located and having the specifications 
as set forth in the ``Documentation in Support of an Easement 
Application for Road Access Via the Martin River Valley to the Bering 
River Coal Fields as Granted by the 1982 CNI Settlement Agreement'', 
for the purposes and facilities described therein.

SEC. 104. EASEMENT.

  Unless otherwise agreed to by the Secretary of Agriculture and 
Chugach Alaska Corporation, the easement granted under section 103 of 
this title shall--
          (1) include sufficient lands for logistical staging areas and 
        construction material sites used for the construction and 
        maintenance of a single-lane forest road; and
          (2) include the right for Chugach Alaska Corporation, or its 
        assignees, to construct, operate, and maintain related 
        facilities and structures within the right-of-way.

SEC. 105. TRANSFER.

  If within 1 month from the date of the enactment of this title the 
Secretary of Agriculture and Chugach Alaska Corporation fail mutually 
to agree on the terms and conditions of the use of the easement, then 
the easement is hereby granted to Chugach Alaska Corporation, and such 
grant shall be deemed as a conveyance pursuant to ANCSA.

              TITLE II--CEMETERY SITES AND HISTORIC PLACES

SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS.

  For the purposes of this title, the following definitions apply:
          (1) The term ``Federal Government'' means any Federal agency 
        of the United States.
          (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.

SEC. 202. FINDINGS.

  The Congress finds the following:
          (1) Pursuant to section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA, the Secretary has 
        the authority to withdraw and convey to the appropriate 
        regional corporation fee title to existing cemetery sites and 
        historical places.
          (2) Pursuant to section 14(h)(7) of ANCSA, lands located 
        within a National Forest may be conveyed for the purposes set 
        forth in section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA.
          (3) Chugach Alaska Corporation, the Alaska Native Regional 
        Corporation for the Chugach Region, applied to the Secretary 
        for the conveyance of cemetery sites and historical places 
        pursuant to section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA in accordance with the 
        regulations promulgated by the Secretary.
          (4) Pursuant to such regulations, Village Corporation 
        selections were given priority over Regional Corporation 
        selections for the same lands.
          (5) Chugach Alaska Corporation's section 14(h)(1) 
        applications for lands that were selected by and conveyed to 
        Village Corporations in the Chugach Region were either 
        withdrawn by Chugach Alaska Corporation or denied by the 
        Secretary.
          (6) As part of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration 
        Program, the Federal Government has acquired and is in the 
        process of acquiring lands from Village Corporations in the 
        Chugach Region that Chugach Alaska Corporation applied for 
        pursuant to section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA and lands from other 
        private parties in the Chugach Region that contain cemetery 
        sites and historical places.
          (7) The fulfillment of the intent, purpose, and promise of 
        ANCSA requires that lands Chugach Alaska Corporation selected 
        or would have selected under section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA and that 
        were subsequently acquired by the Federal Government should be 
        made available for conveyance to Chugach Alaska Corporation as 
        cemetery sites and historical places pursuant to section 
        14(h)(1) of ANCSA, subject only to a determination that such 
        lands meet the eligibility criteria for historical places or 
        cemetery sites, as appropriate, set forth in the Secretary's 
        regulations.

SEC. 203. WITHDRAWAL OF LANDS.

  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall 
withdraw from all forms of appropriation--
          (1) all public lands for which Chugach Alaska Corporation 
        filed an application for conveyance pursuant to section 
        14(h)(1) of ANCSA as a cemetery site or an historical place, 
        and such application was denied because the land was selected 
        by and conveyed to a Village Corporation; and
          (2) all lands that the Federal Government acquired or 
        hereafter acquires from Village Corporations or other private 
        parties in the Chugach Region in connection with the Exxon 
        Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Program.

SEC. 204. APPLICATION FOR CONVEYANCE OF WITHDRAWN LANDS.

  Chugach Alaska Corporation shall apply to the Secretary for the 
conveyance of lands as cemetery sites or historical places under 
section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA as follows:
          (1) With respect to lands withdrawn pursuant to subsection 
        203(1) of this title, by filing with the Secretary a request 
        for reinstatement of its original application, together with 
        any amendments authorized under section 205 of this title.
          (2) With respect to lands withdrawn pursuant to subsection 
        203(2) of this title, for which Chugach Alaska Corporation has 
        not filed an application under section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA with 
        the Secretary, by filing with the Secretary an application in 
        accordance with the regulations promulgated by the Secretary as 
        of the date of enactment of this title.
The Secretary shall accept all such requests filed within the periods 
set forth in section 207 of this title.

SEC. 205. AMENDMENTS.

  Chugach Alaska Corporation may amend original applications filed with 
the Secretary for the conveyance of lands pursuant to section 14(h)(1) 
of ANCSA--
          (1) to include lands withdrawn pursuant to section 203 of 
        this title which are adjacent to lands Chugach Alaska 
        Corporation selected in its original application and that 
        Chugach Alaska Corporation deems culturally important and 
        potentially eligible as a cemetery site or historical place; 
        and
          (2) to cure technical defects.

SEC. 206. PROCEDURE FOR EVALUATING AND CONVEYING SELECTED LANDS.

  The lands selected by Chugach Alaska Corporation pursuant to sections 
204 and 205 of this title shall be evaluated for their eligibility as 
cemetery sites and historical places, as appropriate, and conveyed to 
Chugach Alaska Corporation, in accordance with the criteria and 
procedures set forth in the regulations promulgated by the Secretary as 
of the date of the enactment of this title. To the extent that such 
criteria and procedures conflict with any provision of this title, the 
provisions of this title shall control.

SEC. 207. REINSTATEMENT PERIOD.

  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Chugach Alaska 
Corporation shall have--
          (1) 1 year from the date of enactment of this title to file a 
        request for reinstatement under subsection 204(1) of this 
        title, together with any amendments authorized under section 
        205 of this title; and
          (2) 4 years from the date of recording the conveyance 
        document for any Federal acquisition of lands to file an 
        application under subsection 204(2) of this title.

SEC. 208. APPLICABILITY.

  This title shall apply to all Federal acquisitions of the lands 
described in section 203 of this title, whether occurring prior to or 
after the date of enactment of this title.

                TITLE III--FOREST SYSTEM LAND MANAGEMENT

SEC. 301. DEFINITION.

  For the purposes of this title, the term ``Alaska Native 
Corporation'' means a ``Native Corporation'' as that term is defined in 
section 3(m) of ANCSA, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).

SEC. 302. FINDINGS.

  The Congress finds that--
          (1) pursuant to ANCSA and ANILCA, Alaska Native Corporations 
        own hundreds of thousands of acres of land intermingled with, 
        adjacent to, or dependent for access upon National Forest 
        System lands in Alaska;
          (2) the United States Forest Service, in a letter dated June 
        30, 1998, to Chugach Alaska Corporation, the Alaska Native 
        Regional Corporation for the Chugach Region established under 
        ANCSA, disclaimed any legal obligation to coordinate the 
        revision of the Chugach National Forest land and resource 
        management plan with the plans of Alaska Native Corporations 
        for the utilization of their lands and resources;
          (3) the uncoordinated development, maintenance, or revision 
        of land and resource management plans for units of the National 
        Forest System in Alaska adversely affects the use, development, 
        and value of the lands and resources conveyed to Alaska Native 
        Corporations under ANCSA and ANILCA; and
          (4) the proper management of National Forest System lands in 
        Alaska and the fulfillment of the intent, purpose, and promise 
        of ANCSA require coordination in the development, maintenance, 
        and revision of land and resource management plans for units of 
        the National Forest System in Alaska with the plans of Alaska 
        Native Corporations for the utilization of their lands which 
        are intermingled with, adjacent to, or dependent upon for 
        access National Forest System lands.

SEC. 303. COORDINATION REQUIRED.

  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall coordinate the development, maintenance, and revision 
of land and resource management plans for units of the National Forest 
System in Alaska with the plans of Alaska Native Corporations for the 
utilization of their lands which are intermingled with, adjacent to, or 
dependent for access upon National Forest System lands. At a minimum, 
such coordination shall involve--
          (1) notifying Alaska Native Corporations in advance of the 
        development, maintenance, or revision of a land and resource 
        management plan for a unit of the National Forest System in 
        Alaska;
          (2) meeting with Alaska Native Corporations at the beginning 
        of the plan preparation, maintenance, or revision process to 
        develop procedures for coordination;
          (3) reviewing the plans of Alaska Native Corporations for the 
        utilization of their lands and resources;
          (4) assessing the impacts of Alaska Native Corporation land 
        use plans on National Forest land and resource management 
        planning, and determining how to address those impacts; and
          (5) identifying conflicts between National Forest land and 
        resource management plans and the land use plans of Alaska 
        Native Corporations, and considering alternatives for resolving 
        those conflicts.

SEC. 304. APPLICABILITY.

  This title shall apply to all land and resource management plans for 
units of the National Forest System in Alaska--
          (1) in the process of being developed or revised on the date 
        of enactment of this title; and
          (2) developed, maintained, or revised after the date of 
        enactment of this title.

                          purpose of the bill

    The purpose of H.R. 2547 is to provide for the conveyance 
of land interests to Chugach Alaska Corporation to fulfill the 
intent, purpose, and promise of the Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act.

                  background and need for legislation

    The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA) 
settled the aboriginal land claims of Alaska Natives by 
providing for the prompt conveyance of 44 million acres of land 
from the public domain to for-profit business corporations 
owned by Alaska Natives. These Native Corporations are the 
settlement vehicles that own and manage the land on behalf of 
their Alaska Native shareholders.
    ANCSA declared that Alaska Natives' land claims would be 
``accomplished rapidly, with certainty, in conformity with the 
real economic and social needs of Natives, without litigation, 
with maximum participation by Natives in decisions affecting 
their rights and property.''
    However, where the Chugach Alaska Corporation (Chugach) is 
concerned, implementation of ANCSA has been anything but rapid, 
certain, without litigation or with the maximum participation 
of the Natives in decisions affecting them. Chugach Alaska 
Corporation represents Natives from a southcentral region of 
Alaska.
    H.R. 2547 resolves three problems in the implementation of 
ANCSA for the Chugach Natives. These problems pertain to access 
rights of Chugach (Title I); ownership of certain Native 
historical and cemetery sites (Title II); and Native 
corporation participation in National Forest System land 
planning and management (Title III).

Title I--Access easement

    Title I grants an easement to Chugach for access to a 
remote tract of its ANCSA settlement land. In a 1982 settlement 
agreement, the Administration promised Chugach an easement 
across part of the Chugach National Forest to provide economic 
access to the inholding, but has not fully delivered on its 
obligation. Property without access is virtually meaningless to 
the Chugach Natives and is contrary to common law, federal 
statutes, and the intent of ANCSA.
    Following the enactment of ANCSA in 1971, the federal 
government was extraordinarily slow to convey Chugach its 
settlement lands. To expedite the land conveyances, Congress 
inserted certain provisions in the Alaska National Interest 
Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA) including a broad 
waiver under the National Environmental Policy Act for any 
actions relating to the implementation of ANCSA. Section 1430 
of ANILCA called for a study of land ownership patterns in the 
Chugach region to identify lands and interests to fulfill the 
intent of ANCSA for the Chugach Alaska Corporation.
    Chugach still did not obtain its land entitlement, and 
subsequently entered into litigation with the government. In 
1982, Chugach and the federal government settled the litigation 
in the 1982 Chugach Natives, Inc. Settlement Agreement 
(Agreement). Under the Agreement, the United States awarded 
Chugach a 73,000-acre tract of land known as the Bering River 
Coal Fields or the Carbon Mountain Tract.
    The Agreement also gave Chugach the right to apply for and 
receive an easement for access across the Chugach National 
Forest to the land-locked property, which is inaccessible by 
road. The Agreement further acknowledges that such an access 
easement is an ``integral'' condition precedent to the Natives' 
willingness to settle the litigation. This clearly illustrates 
how Natives' access to their settlement lands is central to 
realizing the purposes, promises, and intent of ANCSA.
    While the Carbon Mountain Tract was conveyed in 1983, 
Chugach's access rights were not granted. Delays in granting 
such rights persist to this day. A formal process to issue the 
easement providing access began in 1996. However, the 
Administration has committed to no time-certain day when the 
easement will be granted. Rather, the Administration insists 
that it be permitted, without a deadline, to continue 
negotiations over abstract contractual rights that bear little 
or no relevance to one of the primary purposes of the 1982 
Agreement, which is to provide the Chugach Natives with use of 
the Carbon Mountain land via economic surface access to it.
    These delays pile on to the historic setbacks endured by 
Chugach Natives in utilizing their settlement lands since ANCSA 
was passed. For example, Chugach had not received a single acre 
of settlement land for over ten years after ANCSA was 
implemented. Chugach Natives were also hit hard by the 1989 
Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred in their region, causing 
an economic upheaval and diversion away from developing Carbon 
Mountain. Additionally, Chugach by its own reckoning has spent 
over $1 million on environmental planning that was required by 
the U.S. Forest Service as a condition of receiving the Carbon 
Mountain access easement.
    While a number of local Forest Service staff in Anchorage 
worked diligently on Chugach's easement, the Administration has 
missed every self-imposed deadline to issue an easement.
    To end the delays, H.R. 3087, a predecessor bill to H.R. 
2547, was introduced in 1997 to grant the easement outright. 
H.R. 3087 was reported by the Committee on Resources and an 
amended version attached to the fiscal year 1999 Interior 
Appropriations bill. The measure was eventually set aside after 
Administration assurances the easement would be granted before 
the end of 1998. Again, a final easement has not been granted.
    H.R. 2547 was introduced in the 106th Congress to grant the 
easement. During the Committee hearing on H.R. 2547, 
Agriculture Department witnesses asserted that negotiations 
over terms of the easement were nearing completion, precluding 
the need for the bill. However, these negotiations have caused 
continuing delays with no date-certain conclusion.
    The prolonged delays fit a pattern. During the 105th 
Congress, the primary objection to legislation was that it was 
premature: environmental documents then under preparation by 
Chugach and the Forest Service were incomplete. Now that such 
documents prepared at a reported cost to Chugach of over $1 
million are complete and approved, ``new'' issues arise, with 
little assurance that ``new'' unforeseen issues will not 
surface. It is clear that legislation is necessary to grant the 
easement.
    As reported, Title I of H.R. 2547 requires the Secretary of 
Agriculture to grant an easement within 14 days after 
enactment, during which time negotiations over terms and 
conditions should conclude. The easement will enable the 
construction of a single-lane forest road about 30 miles in 
length. However, if the Secretary does not comply, then one 
month after enactment, the easement is legislatively granted. 
H.R. 2547 specifies the location, standards, and terms of the 
easement through reference to a comprehensive set of 
environmental documents prepared under a Memorandum of 
Understanding with the Forest Service. The Administration has 
testified the documents are complete, adequate and accepted. 
For this reason, the time is ripe to grant the easement 
legislatively.

Title II--Native historical and cemetery sites

    Section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA authorized the Secretary of 
Interior to ``withdraw and convey to the appropriate Regional 
Corporation fee title to existing cemetery sites and historical 
places'' located on unreserved public lands, national forests, 
and national wildlife refuges. However, Chugach reports that it 
has been able to acquire only a small fraction of these places. 
In the meantime, the Exxon VALDEZ Oil Spill Trustee Council 
(EVOS) has purchased property containing historic and cemetery 
sites that Chugach desires to acquire pursuant to Section 
14(h)(1) of ANCSA. Title II addresses this problem and 
reinstates Chugach's ability to select these small sites.
    EVOS administers the civil and criminal settlement funds 
paid by Exxon Corporation in restitution for its 1989 oil spill 
in Prince William Sound, Alaska, an area abutting Chugach 
Alaska Corporation lands. The Council has acquired lands 
containing certain sites from Native village corporations and 
other private parties in the Chugach region. Chugach has 
reported that it was not consulted on many of the purchases 
although implementing regulations of Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act appears to require Chugach's 
concurrence in EVOS' undertakings.
    The intent of Section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA was to convey 
historical sites and cemeteries to interested regional 
corporations when such places are in federal ownership and are 
not otherwise owned by Natives (including village corporations) 
or other parties whose ownership pre-exists ANCSA. Title II 
affords the Chugach regional corporation an opportunity to 
acquire Native historical, cultural, religious and cemetery 
sites bought by EVOS and sets forth the necessary withdrawal 
authority, procedures, and deadlines for allowing Chugach to 
acquire ANCSA Section 14(h)(1) sites it desires to own.

Title III--Forest planning

    Alaska Native corporations own considerable interests in 
land within Alaska's national forests. Chugach in particular 
owns interests in 700,000 acres of land within the Chugach 
National Forest, and has access rights to its properties. The 
intermingled land ownership pattern presents significant 
challenges in the proper management of public and private 
lands. Title III requires that development or revision of 
national forest land plans be coordinated with Native 
corporations whose lands are intermingled with or adjoining 
national forests. Such coordination aids in avoiding land use 
conflicts and protects private property rights.
    Following the Committee's decision to report H.R. 2547 
favorably, President Clinton ordered the U.S. Forest Service to 
promulgate new rules that prohibit new road construction on at 
least 40 million acres of the national forest system, including 
the Chugach National Forest. ANILCA bars the application in 
Alaska of any study that supports the promulgation of these 
rules. Nonetheless, Title III is needed to protect the ANCSA 
interests of Natives who own land in or adjacent to national 
forests in Alaska until the President retracts the scope of the 
proposed rules to Alaska.

                            committee action

    H.R. 2547 was introduced on July 16, 1999, by Congressman 
Don Young (R-AK). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources. On July 28, 1999, the Committee held a hearing on 
the bill. On September 22, 1999, the Full Resources Committee 
met to mark up the bill. Congressman Don Young offered an 
amendment to shorten the period of time in which the easement 
granted under Title I shall be conveyed to Chugach Alaska 
Corporation. It was adopted by voice vote. The bill as amended 
was then ordered favorably reported by voice vote to the House 
of Representatives.

            committee oversight findings and recommendations

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations 
are reflected in the body of this report.

                   constitutional authority statement

    Article I, section 8 and Article IV, section 3 of the 
Constitution of the United States grant Congress the authority 
to enact this bill.

                    compliance with house rule xiii

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and 
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be 
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) 
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when 
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted 
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) 
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this 
bill does not contain any new budget authority, credit 
authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax 
expenditures. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 
enactment of the bill might increase direct spending.
    3. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause 
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee has received no report of 
oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on 
Government Reform on this bill.
    4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate 
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                  Washington, DC, October 18, 1999.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2547, the Chugach 
Alaska Natives Settlement Implementation Act of 1999.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Victoria 
Heid Hall (for federal costs), and Marjorie Miller (for the 
state, local, and tribal impact.)
            Sincerely,
                                          Barry B. Anderson
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2547--Chugach Alaska Natives Settlement Implementation Act of 1999

    CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2547 would have no 
significant impact on discretionary spending. Because the bill 
could increase direct spending if its enactment results in an 
uncompensated taking of private property, pay-as-you-go 
procedures would apply.
    Title I of the bill would require the Secretary of 
Agriculture to grant to the Chugach Alaska Corporation (CAC) an 
easement through the Chugach National Forest for the purpose of 
building a single-lane road and related facilities within the 
right-of-way. The tile would require the easement to be granted 
within 14 days of the bill's enactment. According to the Forest 
Service, the agency expects to grant such an easement under 
current law as part of an existing settlement agreement with 
CAC. Although the bill could accelerate when the easement will 
be granted, we estimate that implementing this provision would 
have no significant impact on discretionary spending.
    Title II would require the Secretary of the Interior to 
withdraw certain public and private lands from all forms of 
appropriations; usually, this means that federally owned land 
is set aside only for certain governmental purposes. The bill 
would require the Secretary to transfer ownership of any of the 
withdrawn lands following an application for conveyance from 
CAC. CBO assumes that for privately owned lands these 
provisions could lead to an uncompensated taking of private 
property, which could cause an increase in federal direct 
spending to compensate private land owners for the value of 
their property. We cannot predict, however, whether or not 
enacting this provision would lead to a taking; nor can we 
estimate the amount of compensation (if any) that might be due 
to private property owners.
    Title III would direct the Forest Service to coordinate 
management planning for lands and resources in the National 
Forest System in Alaska with the plans of Alaska native 
corporations. Based on information from the Forest Service, we 
estimate that implementing this title would have no impact on 
federal spending because the agency already coordinates with 
interested parties under its current process.
    H.R. 2547 may contain an intergovernmental mandate as 
defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), but the 
cost of this mandate would not exceed the threshold established 
by that act ($50 million in 1996, adjusted annually for 
inflation). Federal government actions required by title II 
might result in a taking of property rights belonging to Alaska 
native village corporations. If so, this would be a mandate 
under UMRA. CBO estimates, however, that any economic losses 
suffered by village corporations would be small. Further, 
should the courts determine that this bill creates an 
unconstitutional taking, these corporations would be entitled 
to compensation from the federal government. No other 
provisions in this bill would impose any costs on state, local, 
or tribal governments. H.R. 2547 contains no private-sector 
mandates as defined in UMRA.
    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Victoria Heid 
Hall (for federal costs), and Marjorie Miller (for the state, 
local, and tribal impact). This estimate was approved by Peter 
H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                    compliance with public law 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates as defined under 
Public Law 104-4.

                preemption of state, local or tribal law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

                        changes in existing law

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing 
law.

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

    This legislation is highly controversial and very unlikely 
to become law. It is strongly opposed by both the Secretary of 
Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior who are 
recommending that it be vetoed by the President if enacted. 
Title I preempts ongoing negotiations between the Forest 
Service and the Chugach Alaska Corporation (``CAC'') on issues 
related to a controversial road building project across 
national forest lands; Title II would authorize an 
unconstitutional taking of private property and the conveyance 
of certain lands out of public ownership which have been 
purchased by the Exxon Valdez oil spill trustees; and, Title 
III requires that national forest management be coordinated 
with corporate land owners.
    The Administration was not allowed to present its testimony 
in opposition to the bill at the July 28, 1999 hearing on this 
legislation. Accordingly, a copy of that testimony, prepared 
jointly by the Forest Service and Department of the Interior, 
is attached as part of these views and summarized below:
    ``The bill preempts ongoing negotiations between the 
federal government and CAC; it repeals the rights of public 
access under the 1982 settlement agreement; reopens 
entitlements under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; it 
gives regional corporations priority over village corporation 
rights; it postpones settlement of entitlements of 11 other 
regional corporation; it affects over 3,300 cultural sites and 
over 135,000 acres of land; and, finally, it unnecessarily 
imposes conditions on the Forest Service's land management 
planning process by giving an unwarranted special review status 
to Alaska Native corporations.''
    In essence, Title I would resolve--in CAC's favor--ongoing 
negotiations with the Forest Service, thus granting CAC an 
unrestricted ``perpetual easement'' through lands in the fish 
and wildlife-rich Copper River Delta region of the Chugach 
National Forest in Alaska. CAC intends to use this easement to 
build a 55-mile long road crossing over 350 streams (194 
streams and 30 miles of road on national forest lands) to 
access and log 8,000 acres of timber within 73,000 acres of 
CAC-owned property known as the Bering River Coal Fields/Carbon 
Mountain Tract. Those lands, and the right to a road access 
easement, were obtained by CAC through a 1982 settlement 
agreement with the U.S. and State of Alaska. After declaring 
bankruptcy in 1991, CAC sold the subsurface coal rights to the 
73,000 acres to the Korean Alaska Development Corporation.
    While it is the case that the Reagan Administration's 1982 
settlement agreement with the corporation provides for a 
process to determine the terms and conditions for road access 
across Chugach National Forest lands, only recently did CAC 
fully pursue obtaining an easement. In lieu of NEPA compliance, 
the Forest Service and CAC agreed to a MOU governing 
environmental documentation in March 1998. A joint field review 
of the road route was conducted in June of 1998. CAC submitted 
documentation in support of the easement route on January 19, 
1999. On March 4, 1999, the Forest Service provided CAC with 
the text of a proposed easement and negotiations have continued 
off and on since then. It is unfair to put the blame solely on 
the Forest Service for the failure to produce an easement 
agreement.
    Notwithstanding frustrations with the pace of these 
negotiations, it is inappropriate for the Congress to intervene 
legislatively in the manner provided for by H.R. 2547. Among 
other unresolved issues, the Forest Service is seeking to 
assure public access and safety on the portions of the road 
which cross Native corporation lands. However, CAC has little 
incentive to negotiate in good faith if they believe that this 
bill will become law and the easement would be conveyed by 
Congress without regard to the 1982 settlement agreement and 
the Forest Service's terms and conditions. And if the Forest 
Service were to fail to protect public access and safety as 
provided for in the 1982 settlement agreement, no doubt they 
would deserve public criticism.
    But even if the easement issues are resolved between CAC 
and the Forest Service, major obstacles remain to actual 
construction of this road. Development threats in the Copper 
River Delta area of Alaska were controversial when President 
Teddy Roosevelt created the Chugach National Forest at the 
beginning of the century and they remain so today. Ironically, 
President Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot were seeking to protect 
the very same lands that are now owned by CAC from exploitation 
by the Alaska Syndicate, a coal monopoly formed by the 
Guggenheim Brothers and John Pierpont Morgan.
    In the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation 
Act, Congress recognized the tremendous values of the Cooper 
River-Bering River area by mandating that the ``conservation of 
fish and wildlife and their habitat shall be the primary 
purpose for management,'' a directive which is unique in the 
National Forest System (Section 501 of Public Law 96-487). As 
the National Wildlife Federation has commented: ``[t]he Copper 
River Delta lies at the conflux of the Copper River and the 
Gulf of Alaska. At 700,000 acres it is the largest wetlands 
complex on the Pacific Coast of North America and an ecosystem 
of almost unparalleled productivity. The Delta hosts incredible 
numbers and varieties of fish and wildlife. Considered by 
biologists to be one of the most important shorebird habitats 
in the western hemisphere, the Delta is a critical staging area 
for over 16 million shorebirds and waterfowl. It supports 
world-renowned salmon runs and is a haven for grizzly bears, 
blacks bears, wolves, mountain goats, moose, mink, wolverines, 
otters, sea lions and harbor seals.''
    Given the environmental controversy, the significant 
expense of constructing and maintaining this 55 mile long road 
(30 miles crossing 194 streams on national forest lands), and 
the marginal economics of harvesting low-value hemlock trees in 
a depressed export market, some CAC shareholders have raised 
the alternative of selling a conservation easement in the CAC 
lands to the Forest Service. At the July 28th hearing on this 
bill, Dune Lankard, a CAC shareholder, proposed that Congress 
consider the option of offering to purchase a conservation 
easement in CAC's lands. The goal would be to protect the 
important natural assets in the Copper River Delta while also 
providing a better direct financial return to the CAC 
shareholders than would be likely be the case that under the 
dubious economics of the road building and logging project. 
Thus far in its 28 year history, CAC has produced only minimal 
jobs or dividends for its 1,900 shareholders, according to Mr. 
Lankard.
    Instead of proceeding with this ill-advised legislation, 
the committee should be working in the national interest to 
purchase, on a willing-seller basis, a conservation easement 
for the CAC lands at Carbon Mountain/Bering River. CAC was 
willing to sell the coal subsurface rights to this 73,000 acre 
tract to a Korean corporation. Moreover, other Native 
corporations in the Prince William Sound region have chosen to 
sell conservation easements to the Exxon Valdez oil spill 
settlement trustees rather than engage in economically marginal 
logging operations. Surely the shareholders of the Chugach 
Alaska Corporation would benefit by at least having the 
opportunity to compare the projected financial return and 
controversy associated with the road building/logging project 
and determine whether the option of a conservation easement and 
maintaining these lands for future generations would be 
preferable.

                                                     George Miller.
    Enclosure.

   Statement of Ronald E. Stewart, Forest Service, Deputy Chief for 
          Programs and Legislation, Department of Agriculture

    Mr. Chairman and members of the committee: Thank you for 
the opportunity to discuss this bill with you. I am Ron 
Stewart, Forest Service Deputy Chief for Programs and 
Legislation. I am accompanied today by James Snow from the 
Department of Agriculture, Office of the General Counsel, and 
Paul Kirton from the Department of the Interior, Office of the 
Solicitor. Both Mr. Snow and Mr. Kirton are lawyers who were on 
the federal team that negotiated the 1982 Chugach Natives, 
Incorporated (CNI) Settlement Agreement, and who are also 
involved in current negotiations between the federal government 
and Chugach Alaska Corporation.
    At the outset, for this discussion, we note that the 1982 
CNI Settlement Agreement (``1982 Agreement'') was between the 
State of Alaska, the Federal Government and Chugach Natives, 
Incorporated (CNI). The successor corporation to CNI is Chugach 
Alaska Corporation (CAC). Depending on the context, we may 
refer to either or both CNI or CAC, but they both refer to the 
Alaska native regional corporation representing the natives of 
south central Alaska.
    As noted below, we strongly oppose this bill. The bill 
preempts ongoing negotiations between the federal government 
and CAC; it repeals the rights of the public access under the 
1982 Agreement; reopens entitlements under the Alaska Native 
Claims Settlement Act; it gives regional corporations priority 
over village corporation property rights; it postpones 
settlement of entitlements of 11 other regional corporations; 
it affects over 3300 cultural sites and over 135,000 acres of 
land; and, finally, it unnecessarily imposes conditions on the 
Forest Service's land management planning process by giving an 
unwarranted special review status to Alaska native 
corporations. Therefore, the Secretaries of the Interior and 
Agriculture will recommend that the President veto the bill 
should it be passed by the Congress.

                                title i

    The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (``ANCSA'') 
established a very complicated and expensive settlement of the 
land claims of Alaska natives. As this Committee is well aware, 
over 40,000 acres and almost a billion dollars constituted this 
settlement. CNI was one of the original twelve regional 
corporations with land selection entitlements under ANCSA. Its 
entitlement amounted to about 360,000 acres of federal land.
    Unfortunately, from the outset of ANCSA, CNI was 
dissatisfied with ANCSA limitations on the amount of acreage 
which could be selected from within the National Forests. As a 
result, section 1430 of the Alaska National Interest Lands 
Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), required a study to be 
conducted by the federal government, the State of Alaska and 
CNI to ascertain lands that might be made available for 
exchange to CNI. In the ensuing two years following the 
enactment of ANILCA, representatives of the Departments of 
Agriculture and the Interior, the State of Alaska and CNI 
worked hard to resolve the land selection issue. This process 
culminated in the 1982 Agreement, a 143 page contract which 
constituted the ``full and final satisfaction of all rights and 
obligations of the United States to CNI.''
    Among other things, the 1982 Agreement provided for the 
exchange of CNI of thousands of acres of land within the 
Chugach National Forest. One of the principal tracts of land 
conveyed to CNI was the Bering River Coal Fields, sometimes 
called Carbon Mountain, a large area lying north of Katalla and 
east of the Copper River. Katalla and the Copper River 
constitute some of the most critical wildlife areas in Alaska, 
so much so that the Copper River area is designated for special 
management for wildlife under section 501(b) of ANILCA. 
However, obtaining access to the Bering River coal fields 
necessarily requires a road.
    Because both CNI and the Federal government recognized the 
extreme importance and sensitivity of the areas involved, the 
1982 Agreement devotes 9 pages of contractual provisions 
governing access to the Bering River area. In a carefully 
crafted negotiated settlement, the 1982 Agreement provides for 
the granting of easements to CNI under stringent terms and 
conditions. All of the parties understood that access would not 
be easy, cheap, or expeditious. Rather it was contemplated that 
access would be carefully and jointly planned to facilitate 
commercial use of the area with minimal environmental harm to 
the resources and allowance of public use of the rights-of-way.
    The Forest Service has negotiated in good faith throughout 
this process. In March, 1999, within the promised 45-day 
period, the agency offered CAC an easement incorporating all 
the required terms and conditions required by the 1982 
Agreement. CAC declined that offer. At the initiative of the 
Forest Service, negotiations were renewed in early June and 
substantial progress was made toward agreement.
    We are pleased to report that since the June meeting, the 
Forest Service and Chugach Alaska Corporation (CAC) have agreed 
on most outstanding issues. The principal obstacle now concerns 
rights of public access on the portions of the road crossing 
CAC land. We believe that the Agreement granted this right of 
access. Once this issue is resolved, the easement would be 
issued immediately. At this stage in the negotiations, we 
believe the parties are very close to an agreement. H.R. 2547 
overrides the balance that was agreed to in 1982, and fails to 
protect public access to national forest lands, which the 
Departments oppose.

         title ii: ancsa historic site and cemetery selections

    We believe that enactment of Title II as presently written 
constitutes a major rewrite of the CNI agreement, and of the 
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, could result in an 
unconstitutional taking of private property, would disrupt 
settlements with other Native corporations and spawn new 
litigation.
    Title II of the bill would allow reinstatement of prior CNI 
applications under section 14(h)(1), pertaining to cemetery and 
historic sites, which were either rejected or withdrawn, for 
lands that have since been conveyed to village corporations. 
The 1982 Settlement Agreement explicitly prohibits CAC from 
expanding its claims to cemetery and historic sites. Section 16 
of the agreement states that CNI (now CAC) shall not ``assert 
or seek to acquire any other legal authority to make future 
selections pursuant to section 14(h)(1) of ANCSA within the 
national forests.'' Moreover, Regional corporations were not 
permitted to make Sec. 14(h) selections within village 
withdrawal areas. CAC's attempt to now lay claims to village-
owned lands for cemetery and historic sites is at complete odds 
with the express terms of ANCSA. Such lands were never 
available to CAC for cemetery or historic sites.
    Title II would have the United States convey interests in 
lands to CAC that the United States does not have; thus it 
would be ineffective. Section 203 of Title II would require the 
Secretary of the Interior to withdraw lands from two sources. 
All of these lands are subject to being transferred to CAC 
without compensation. First, any public land that was the 
subject of a section 14(h)(1) application by CNI and 
subsequently was conveyed to a village corporation is to be 
withdrawn. This could direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
withdraw for government purposes land which is in private 
ownership and which we do not own. Such action could result in 
placing a cloud on the title of other landowners, including the 
State of Alaska and the respective Village corporation.
    The second source of land that would have to be given to 
CAC without compensation would be all those lands acquired by 
the federal government under the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill 
Restoration program (EVOS) in the Chugach region. Conveyances 
under Title II would also undermine one of the key benefits of 
the EVOS acquisitions, public access to lands acquired from 
Village corporations.
    There is no provision in Title II for CAC to pay anything 
to the Oil Spill Restoration program. Various less than fee 
title interests were purchased by the EVOS program. Sometimes 
only timber rights were purchased. In other cases, it was 
conservation easements or special protective covenants. 
Although the federal government has used oil spill money to 
acquire an interest in approximately 230,000 acres, only 98,947 
acres of fee surface estate were purchased within the national 
forest, 27,357 acres within the Kenai Fjords National Park and 
2,279 acres within the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife 
Refuge. In all cases, the surface estate was purchased subject 
to a conservation easement previously granted to the State of 
Alaska, and the village corporations retained the historic and 
cultural resources. CAC's proposition that the spirit of ANCSA 
requires that these lands now be turned over in fee, for free 
to CAC is highly problematic, since these lands were not 
originally available for selection to CNI, only to villages, 
and it would set a bad precedent. The United States cannot 
convey what it does not have.
    Title II would adversely affect the 11 other ANCSA regional 
corporations. Under ANCSA, some 2 million acres were set aside 
under Sec. 14(h) for specific purposes including cemetery sites 
and historic places. Any of the 2 million acres not allocated 
or ultimately used for a specific purpose will be reallocated 
among all 12 regional corporations and conveyed under Sec. 
14(h)(8). No Sec. 14(h)(8) entitlement can be finally 
calculated and conveyed until all Sec. 14(h)(1) conveyance are 
finished. If Title II is enacted, CAC will be able to keep its 
Sec. 14(h)(1) selection options open indefinitely, guaranteeing 
that no other regional corporation will able to receive its 
full and final Sec. 14(h)(8) entitlement in the near or even 
foreseeable future.
    The Departments are strongly opposed to Title II, which 
would negate important provisions of the carefully wrought 1982 
agreements, effectively amend ANCSA, and provide special 
benefits to one Alaska Native corporation at the expense of 
others.

                               title iii

    Title III of H.R. 2547 would require the Secretary of 
Agriculture to ``coordinate'' all land and resource management 
plans with all Alaska native corporations which adjoin the 
national forests in Alaska.
    We believe that adequate and extensive coordination is 
already provided native corporations under existing law. As 
adjoining landowners, native corporations can fully participate 
in the land management planning process, and are encouraged to 
do so. Indeed, CAC has been actively involved in the revision 
of the Chugach National Forest plan.
    If Title III is intended to provide Alaska Native 
corporations under ANCSA with a special status akin to that 
provided Indian tribes, then we believe such an amendment is 
clearly inconsistent with ANCSA's provision for native 
corporations. Unlike Indian tribes, Alaska native corporations 
are independent corporate, business entities organized for the 
benefit of their shareholders. For profit corporations should 
not have special nights and privileges in the land management 
planning process.

                        summary and conclusions

    Unfortunately, H.R. 2547, if enacted, would greatly expand 
the benefits of the 1982 Agreement to CAC, but would take away 
reserved rights of the United States, the State of Alaska and 
the public. The proposed changes to CAC's entitlements under 
ANCSA will adversely affect the management of federal lands in 
Alaska. Finally, there is no need to provide native 
corporations with special and additional rights in the Forest 
Service land management planning processes. For these reasons, 
we strongly oppose this legislation.
    This concludes the prepared testimony on H.R. 2547. Thank 
you, Mr. Chairman. I would welcome any questions the Committee 
may have.

                                  
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