[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2815 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2815

     To provide equitable treatment for the people of the Village 
 Corporation established for the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2025

  Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To provide equitable treatment for the people of the Village 
 Corporation established for the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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 ``Cape Fox Land Entitlement 
Finalization Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Cape fox.--The term ``Cape Fox'' means the Cape Fox 
        Village Corporation, a Village Corporation for the Native 
        Village of Saxman, Alaska, organized pursuant to the Alaska 
        Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
            (2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the 
        approximately 180 acres of surface land within the Tongass 
        National Forest in the State of Alaska, as generally depicted 
        on the Map.
            (3) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled ``Cape 
        Fox Village Corporation Final Selection'' and dated December 
        18, 2023.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. WAIVER OF CORE TOWNSHIP REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN LAND.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 16(b) of the Alaska Native 
Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1615(b)), Cape Fox shall not be 
required to select or receive conveyance of the approximately 185 acres 
of unconveyed land described in subsection (b) located within the 
township in which the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska, is located.
    (b) Land Described.--The land referred to in subsection (a) is as 
follows:
            (1) Approximately 40 acres in T. 74 S., R.90 E., sec. 10, 
        SWNE, Copper River Meridian.
            (2) Approximately 144.57 acres in T. 75 S., R.91 E., sec. 
        1, lots 1, 3, and 4, Copper River Meridian.

SEC. 4. SELECTION OUTSIDE EXTERIOR SELECTION BOUNDARY.

    (a) Selection and Conveyance of Surface Estate.--Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, if Cape Fox submits to 
the Secretary a written notice of selection of the Federal land, the 
Secretary shall, on receiving that written notice, convey the Federal 
land to Cape Fox.
    (b) Conveyance of Subsurface Estate.--On conveyance to Cape Fox of 
the surface estate to the Federal land under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall convey to Sealaska Corporation the subsurface estate to 
that Federal land.
    (c) Timing.--It is the intent of Congress that the Secretary 
complete the conveyances to Cape Fox and Sealaska Corporation under 
subsections (a) and (b), respectively, as soon as practicable after the 
date on which the Secretary receives a written notice of the selection 
of Cape Fox under subsection (a), but not later than 180 days after the 
date on which the Secretary receives that written notice.
    (d) Entitlement Fulfilled.--The conveyance of Federal land to Cape 
Fox and the subsurface interest in the Federal land to Sealaska 
Corporation under subsections (a) and (b), respectively, shall be 
considered to fulfill the entitlement of--
            (1) Cape Fox under section 16 of the Alaska Native Claims 
        Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1615); and
            (2) Sealaska Corporation to any subsurface interest in the 
        Federal land under section 14(f) of that Act (43 U.S.C. 
        1613(f)).

SEC. 5. PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT.

    The conveyance of the Federal land under section 4 shall be subject 
to the reservation of a public easement under section 17(b) of the 
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1616(b)) to allow for 
access to National Forest System land further inland on Revillagigedo 
Island from the George Inlet.
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