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S2554119th CongressWALLET
Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act
Sponsored By: Senator Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
In Committee
Summary
Creates five Urban Corporations and conveys land and shares to unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native communities. This bill would fold Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell into the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act framework by authorizing enrollment, stock, land transfers, and implementation funding.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Urban shareholders and priority trust
If enacted, the Secretary would enroll eligible Alaska Natives from Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell as shareholders of new Urban Corporations. Each enrolled person who was a Southeast Regional Corporation shareholder would receive 100 shares of Settlement Common Stock in their Urban Corporation. People who inherited Regional Corporation shares from a decedent enrolled to one of those villages would receive the same number of shares in the matching Urban Corporation. New Urban Corporation shareholders would remain eligible for ANCSA section 7(j) distributions as at-large shareholders. Each Urban Corporation could set up a settlement trust to fund health, education, and welfare, and trust money would first go to enrolled elders and enrolled minor children, then to other enrollees.
Southeast land, roads, and access
If enacted, the Secretary would convey about 23,040 acres (per community) to each Urban Corporation for Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, using maps dated June 27, 2025. The subsurface estate for conveyed parcels would go to the Southeast Regional Corporation, and the lands would be treated like ANCSA 14(h)(3) lands even if not vacant. Haines conveyance would be phased: about 81 acres would convey immediately and about 92 acres would convey only after mining claims are relinquished, abandoned, found void, or if Coeur Alaska agrees. The bill would withdraw described Federal land from mining and mineral leasing until conveyance, and require the Secretary to handle public-easement reservations so parcels are conveyed if easement processes are not finished within 2 years (3 years if appealed), while reserving the right to amend patents later. Conveyed lands must remain open for subsistence and noncommercial recreation, with Urban Corporations broadly not liable except for willful acts and able to impose reasonable safety or protection rules. The Secretary of Agriculture would seek a mutual-use road agreement for the Tongass within 1 year of incorporation, with interim administrative access required on similar terms from conveyance. Existing Forest Service guiding and outfitting permits would end on conveyance, but holders would get continuation for the remainder of their term plus one additional 10-year renewal. Proceeds from withdrawn lands would be held under the escrow rules of Public Law 94-204.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov