[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1468 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1468
To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that
Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a Village Corporation
under that Act, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Sullivan introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that
Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a Village Corporation
under that Act, 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. ALEXANDER CREEK RECOGNITION.
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 43. ALEXANDER CREEK RECOGNITION.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Alexander creek, incorporated.--The term `Alexander
Creek, Incorporated' means Alexander Creek, Incorporated, the
entity organized and recognized--
``(A) on the day before the date of enactment of
this section, as a Group Corporation; and
``(B) effective beginning on the date of enactment
of this section, as a Village Corporation.
``(2) Alexander creek village.--The term `Alexander Creek
village' means the community--
``(A) located in T. 15 N., R. 7 W., Seward
Meridian, in the State; and
``(B) recognized as a Native village under
subsection (b)(2).
``(3) Region.--The term `Region' means Cook Inlet Region,
Incorporated, the appropriate Regional Corporation for
Alexander Creek, Incorporated, under section 14(h).
``(b) Recognition of Alexander Creek.--Notwithstanding section
1432(d) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (Public
Law 96-487; 94 Stat. 2543) and the deadline described in section
11(b)(3), subject to the requirements of this section--
``(1) Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a
Village Corporation pursuant to this Act; and
``(2) Alexander Creek village shall be recognized as a
Native village, notwithstanding any other provision of this
Act.
``(c) Organization of Alexander Creek, Incorporated.--As soon as
practicable after the date of enactment of this section, Alexander
Creek, Incorporated, shall submit to the Secretary--
``(1) any amendments to the State corporate charter of
Alexander Creek, Incorporated, necessary to convert Alexander
Creek, Incorporated, from a Group Corporation to a Village
Corporation; and
``(2) if necessary, any amendments to the State corporate
charter or governing business documents of Alexander Creek,
Incorporated, that fulfill the terms of the agreement described
in subsection (d).
``(d) Agreement.--
``(1) Negotiations.--Not later than 30 days after the date
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall offer to
enter into negotiations with Alexander Creek, Incorporated, for
the purposes of fairly and equitably settling--
``(A) the aboriginal land claims of Alexander
Creek, Incorporated; and
``(B) any other claims of Alexander Creek,
Incorporated, against the United States.
``(2) Condition.--As a condition of recognition as a
Village Corporation under this Act, Alexander Creek,
Incorporated, shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary
to achieve the purposes described in paragraph (1) by not later
than 13 months after the date of enactment of this section.
``(3) Parity.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
agreement under this subsection shall achieve parity, with
respect to approximate value, with similar agreements of other
Village Corporations.
``(4) Treatment for federal property purposes.--
``(A) Coordination with gsa.--The Secretary shall
coordinate with the Administrator of General Services
with respect to any surplus property to be transferred
to Alexander Creek, Incorporated, pursuant to the
agreement under this subsection.
``(B) Status as a state and state agency.--
Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3) of section
549(a) of title 40, United States Code, Alexander
Creek, Incorporated, shall be considered to be a
`State' and a `State agency' under that section for
purposes of the agreement under this subsection.
``(C) Surplus property.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, Alexander Creek, Incorporated, shall
be eligible to receive real property declared to be
surplus under section 1303 of title 40, United States
Code, for purposes of the agreement under this
subsection.
``(e) Shareholder Participation.--
``(1) In general.--Alexander Creek, Incorporated, shall
notify each member of Alexander Creek village that--
``(A) effective beginning on the date of enactment
of this section, the members shall cease to receive
benefits from the Region as at-large shareholders
pursuant to section 7(m); and
``(B) all future resource payments from the Region
shall be retained by Alexander Creek, Incorporated,
pursuant to section 7(j).
``(2) Liability.--The Region shall not be liable under any
State, Federal, or local law, or under State or Federal common
law, for damages arising out of or relating to the cessation of
payments to members of Alexander Creek village under paragraph
(1)(A).
``(f) Construction Relating to Land Entitlements.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in this section with
respect to Alexander Creek, Incorporated, nothing in this
section modifies or amends any land conveyance entitlements or
conveyance agreement between--
``(A) the Region and Village Corporations other
than Alexander Creek, Incorporated;
``(B) the Region and the Federal Government; and
``(C) any party described in subparagraph (A) or
(B) and the State.
``(2) Current alexander creek, incorporated, land.--Nothing
in this section reduces the land entitlement of Alexander
Creek, Incorporated, as a Group Corporation before the date of
enactment of this section, including any land selected by and
conveyed to Alexander Creek, Incorporated, before that date of
enactment.''.
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