,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bbi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #c1 #bjag,mr4 ,young of ,alaska introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to provide for the recognition of certain ,native communities and the settlement of certain claims under the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,unrecognized ,southeast ,alaska ,native ,communities ,recognition and ,compensation ,act4 #b4 ,findings and purpose 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 in #aiga1 ,congress enacted the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 to recognize and settle the aboriginal claims of ,alaska ,natives to the land ,alaska ,natives had used for traditional purposes2 7#b7 that ,act awarded approximately #a1jjj1jjj1jjj and #dd1jjj1jjj acres of land to ,alaska ,natives and provided for the establishment of ,native ,corporations to receive and manage the funds and land2 7#c7 pursuant to that ,act1 ,alaska ,natives have been enrolled in #a of #ac ,regional ,corporations2 7#d7 most ,alaska ,natives reside in communities that are eligible under that ,act to form a ,village or ,urban ,corporation within the geographical area of a ,regional ,corporation2 7#e7 ,village or ,urban ,corporations established under that ,act received cash and surface rights to the settlement land described in paragraph 7#b7 and the corresponding ,regional ,corporation received cash and land that includes the subsurface rights to the land of the ,village or ,urban ,corporation2 7#f7 the southeastern ,alaska communities of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell are not listed under that ,act as communities eligible to form ,village or ,urban ,corporations1 even though the population of those villages comprises greater than #bj percent of the shareholders of the ,regional ,corporation for ,southeast ,alaska and display historic1 cultural1 and traditional qualities of ,alaska ,natives2 7#g7 the communities described in paragraph 7#f7 have sought full eligibility for land and benefits under that ,act for more than #c decades2 7#h7 in #aiic1 ,congress directed the ,secretary of the ,interior to prepare a report examining the reasons why the communities listed in paragraph 7#f7 had been denied eligibility to form ,village or ,urban ,corporations and receive land and benefits pursuant to that ,act2 7#i7 the report described in paragraph 7#h71 published in ,february #aiid1 indicates that-- 7,a7 the communities listed in paragraph 7#f7 do not differ significantly from the ,southeast ,alaska communities that were permitted to form ,village or ,urban ,corporations under that ,act2 7,b7 the communities are similar to other communities that are eligible to form ,village or ,urban ,corporations under that ,act and receive land and benefits under that ,act-- 7i7 in actual number and percentage of ,native ,alaskan population2 and 7ii7 with respect to the historic use and occupation of land2 7,c7 each such community was involved in advocating the settlement of the aboriginal claims of the community2 and 7,d7 some of the communities appeared on early versions of lists of ,native ,villages prepared before the date of the enactment of that ,act1 but were not included as ,native ,villages under that ,act2 7#aj7 the omissions described in paragraph 7#i7 are not clearly explained in any provision of that ,act or the legislative history of that ,act2 and 7#aa7 on the basis of the findings described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#aj71 ,alaska ,natives who were enrolled in the #e unlisted communities and the heirs of the ,alaska ,natives have been inadvertently and wrongly denied the cultural and financial benefits of enrollment in ,village or ,urban ,corporations established pursuant to that ,act4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this ,act is to redress the omission of the communities described in subsection 7a77#f7 from eligibility by authorizing the ,native people enrolled in the communities-- 7#a7 to form ,urban ,corporations for the communities of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell under the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq472 and 7#b7 to receive certain settlement land pursuant to that ,act4 #c4 ,establishment of additional ,native ,corporations ,section #af of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afae7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7e7 ,native ,villages of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell1 ,alaska 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,native residents of each of the ,native ,villages of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell1 ,alaska1 may organize as ,urban ,corporations4 7#b7 ,effect on entitlement to land ,nothing in this subsection affects any entitlement to land of any ,native ,corporation established before the date of enactment of this subsection pursuant to this ,act or any other provision of law4 4 #d4 ,shareholder eligibility ,section #h of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjg7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7d7 ,native ,villages of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall enroll to each of the ,urban ,corporations for ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 or ,wrangell those individual ,natives who enrolled under this ,act to the ,native ,villages of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 or ,wrangell1 respectively4 7#b7 ,number of shares ,each ,native who is enrolled to an ,urban ,corporation for ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 or ,wrangell pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 and who was enrolled as a shareholder of the ,regional ,corporation for ,southeast ,alaska on or before ,march #cj1 #aigc1 shall receive #ajj shares of ,settlement ,common ,stock in the respective ,urban ,corporation4 7#c7 ,natives receiving shares through inheritance ,if a ,native received shares of stock in the ,regional ,corporation for ,southeast ,alaska through inheritance from a decedent ,native who originally enrolled to the ,native ,village of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 or ,wrangell and the decedent ,native was not a shareholder in a ,village or ,urban ,corporation1 the ,native shall receive the identical number of shares of ,settlement ,common ,stock in the ,urban ,corporation for ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 or ,wrangell as the number of shares inherited by that ,native from the decedent ,native who would have been eligible to be enrolled to the respective ,urban ,corporation4 7#d7 ,effect on entitlement to land ,nothing in this subsection affects entitlement to land of any ,regional ,corporation pursuant to section #ab7;b7 or #ad7;h77#h74 4 #e4 ,distribution rights ,section #g of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjf7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7j7-- 7,a7 by striking 7j7 ,during and inserting the following3 7j7 ,distribution of corporate funds and other net income 7#a7 ,in general ,during 2 7,b7 by striking ,not less and inserting the following3 7#b7 ,minimum allocation ,not less 2 7,c7 by striking ,in the case and inserting the following3 7#c7 ,thirteenth ,regional ,corporation ,in the case 2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,native ,villages of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell ,native members of the ,native ,villages of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell who become shareholders in an ,urban ,corporation for such a ,native ,village shall continue to be eligible to receive distributions under this subsection as at-large shareholders of the ,regional ,corporation for ,southeast ,alaska4 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7s7 ,effect of amendatory ,act ,the ,unrecognized ,southeast ,alaska ,native ,communities ,recognition and ,compensation ,act and the amendments made by that ,act shall not affect-- 7#a7 the ratio for determination of revenue distribution among ,native ,corporations under this section2 or 7#b7 the settlement agreement among ,regional ,corporation or ,village ,corporations or other provisions of subsection 7i7 or 7j74 4 #f4 ,compensation ,the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #dc4 ,urban ,corporations for ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell 7a7 ,offer of compensation 7#a7 ,in general ,on incorporation of the ,urban ,corporations for ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell1 the ,secretary1 in consultation and coordination with the ,secretary of ,commerce1 and in consultation with representatives of each such ,urban ,corporation and the ,regional ,corporation for ,southeast ,alaska1 shall offer as compensation1 pursuant to this ,act1 #a township of land 7#bc1jdj acres7 to each of the ,urban ,corporations for ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell1 in accordance with this subsection4 7#b7 ,local areas of historical1 cultural1 traditional1 and economic importance 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall offer as compensation under this subsection local areas of historical1 cultural1 traditional1 and economic importance to ,alaska ,natives from the ,villages of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 or ,wrangell4 7,b7 ,selection of land ,in selecting the land to be withdrawn and conveyed pursuant to this section1 the ,secretary-- 7i7 shall give preference to land with commercial purposes2 and 7ii7 may include subsistence and cultural sites1 aquaculture sites1 hydroelectric sites1 tideland1 surplus ,federal property and eco-tourism sites4 7,c7 ,contiguous1 compact sites ,the land selected pursuant to this section shall be contiguous and reasonably compact tracts if practicable4 7,d7 ,valid existing rights ,the land selected pursuant to this section shall be subject to all valid existing rights and all other provisions of section #ad7;g71 including any lease1 contract1 permit1 right-of-way1 or easement 7including a lease issued under section #f7;g7 of the ,act of ,july #g1 #aieh 7commonly known as the ,alaska ,statehood ,act7 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 note prec4 #ba2 ,public ,law #he-ejh774 7b7 ,acceptance or rejection of offer 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of the offer of compensation from the ,secretary under subsection 7a71 each of the ,urban ,corporations for ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell shall accept or reject the offer4 7#b7 ,resolution ,to accept or reject the offer1 each such ,urban ,corporation shall provide to the ,secretary a properly executed and certified corporate resolution that states that the offer proposed by the ,secretary was voted on1 and either approved or rejected1 by a majority of the shareholders of the ,urban ,corporation4 7#c7 ,rejection of offer ,if the offer is rejected-- 7,a7 the ,secretary1 in consultation with representatives of the ,urban ,corporation that rejected the offer and the ,regional ,corporation for ,southeast ,alaska1 shall revise the offer2 and 7,b7 the ,urban ,corporation shall have an additional #ahj days within which to accept or reject the revised offer4 7c7 ,withdrawal and conveyance of land and title ,not later than #ahj days after receipt of a corporate resolution of an ,urban ,corporation approving an offer of the ,secretary under subsection 7b77#a71 the ,secretary shall 7as appropriate7-- 7#a7 withdraw the land2 7#b7 convey to the ,urban ,corporation title to the surface estate of the land2 and 7#c7 convey to the ,regional ,corporation for ,southeast ,alaska title the subsurface estate for the land4 7d7 ,conveyance of roads1 trails1 log transfer facilities1 leases1 and appurtenances ,the ,secretary shall1 without consideration of compensation1 convey to the ,urban ,corporations of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell1 by quitclaim deed or patent1 all right1 title1 and interest of the ,united ,states in all roads1 trails1 log transfer facilities1 leases1 and appurtenances on or related to the land conveyed to the ,corporations pursuant to subsection 7c74 7e7 ,settlement trust 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,urban ,corporations of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell may establish a settlement trust in accordance with section #ci for the purposes of promoting the health1 education1 and welfare of the trust beneficiaries1 and preserving the ,native heritage and culture1 of the communities of ,haines1 ,ketchikan1 ,petersburg1 ,tenakee1 and ,wrangell1 respectively4 7#b7 ,proceeds and income ,the proceeds and income from the principal of a trust established under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 first be applied to the support of those enrollees1 and the descendants of the enrollees1 who are elders or minor children2 and 7,b7 then to the support of all other enrollees4 4