,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ghe ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #cj1 #bjag,mr4 ,sullivan 7for himself and ,ms4 ,murkowski7 introduced the following bill2 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 for equitable allotment of land to ,alaska ,native veterans4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act4 #b4 ,open season for certain ,alaska native veterans for allotments ,section #da of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afbi;g7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in the subsection heading1 by striking ,in general and inserting ,alaska ,native veteran allotments2 7,b7 by striking paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d7 and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,allotments 7,a7 ,eligible recipients ,any person described in paragraph 7#a7 or 7#b7 of subsection 7b7 shall be eligible to receive an allotment under the ,act of ,may #ag1 #aijf 7#cd ,stat4 #aig1 chapter #bdfi7 7as in effect before ,december #ah1 #aiga71 of not more than #b parcels of ,federal land1 the total area of which shall not exceed #afj acres4 ,any person described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 of subsection 7b7 who1 prior to the date on which the ,secretary promulgates regulations pursuant to section #c of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act1 received an allotment that has a total area of less than #afj acres shall be eligible to receive an allotment under the ,act of ,may #ag1 #aijf 7#cd ,stat4 #aig1 chapter #bdfi7 7as in effect before ,december #ah1 #aiga71 of not more than #a parcel of ,federal land1 the total area of which shall not exceed the difference in acres between #afj acres and the total area of the allotment that the person previously received under the ,act4 7,b7 ,rule of construction ,the civil action styled ,shields v4 ,united ,states 7#fih ,f4#b;d #ihg 7#ith ,cir4 #aihc71 cert4 denied 7#ajd ,s4 ,ct4 #gc 7#aihc777 shall not be construed to diminish or modify the eligibility of any person described in paragraph 7#a7 or 7#b7 of subsection 7b74 7,c7 ,filing deadline ,an allotment shall be filed for an eligible recipient not later than #c years after the date on which the ,secretary promulgates regulations pursuant to section #c of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act4 7#b7 ,land available for allotments 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subparagraph 7,c71 an allotment under this section shall be selected from land that is-- 7i7 7,i7 vacant2 and 7,,ii7 owned by the ,united ,states2 7ii7 selected by1 or conveyed to1 the ,state of ,alaska1 if the ,state voluntarily relinquishes or conveys to the ,united ,states the land for the allotment2 or 7iii7 selected by1 or conveyed to1 a ,native ,corporation1 if the ,native ,corporation voluntarily relinquishes or conveys to the ,united ,states the land for the allotment4 7,b7 ,relinquishment by ,native ,corporation ,if a ,native ,corporation relinquishes land under subparagraph 7,a77iii71 the ,native ,corporation may select appropriate ,federal land1 as determined by the ,secretary1 the area of which is equal to the area of the land relinquished by the ,native ,corporation1 to replace the relinquished land4 7,c7 ,exclusions ,an allotment under this section shall not be selected from land that is located within-- 7i7 a right-of-way of the ,trans,alaska ,pipeline2 7ii7 an inner or outer corridor of such a right-of-way2 or 7iii7 a unit of the ,national ,park ,system1 a ,national ,preserve1 or a ,national ,monument4 7,d7 ,rule of construction ,the civil action styled ,shields v4 ,united ,states 7#fih ,f4#b;d #ihg 7#ith ,cir4 #aihc71 cert4 denied 7#ajd ,s4 ,ct4 #gc 7#aihc777 shall not be construed to limit the land that is eligible for allotment under this paragraph4 7#c7 ,alternative allotments ,a person described in paragraph 7#a7 or 7#b7 of subsection 7b7 who qualifies for an allotment under this section on land described in paragraph 7#b77;,c7 may select an alternative allotment from land that is-- 7,a7 located within the boundaries of land described in paragraph 7#b77;,c72 7,b7 7i7 7,i7 withdrawn under section #aa7;a77#a77;,c72 and 7,,ii7 not selected1 or relinquished after selection1 under section #aa7;a77#c72 7ii7 contiguous to an outer boundary of land withdrawn under section #aa7;a77#a77;,c72 or 7iii7 vacant1 unappropriated1 and unreserved2 and 7,c7 not a unit of the ,national ,park ,system1 a ,national ,preserve1 or a ,national ,monument4 2 and 7,c7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#e7 and 7#f7 as paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e71 respectively2 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting the following3 7,b7 is a veteran who served during the period beginning on ,august #e1 #aifd1 and ending on ,may #g1 #aige4 2 7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#b7 ,deceased persons ,if an individual who would otherwise have been eligible for an allotment under this section dies before applying for an allotment1 an heir of the person may apply for1 and receive1 an allotment under this section1 on behalf of the estate of the person4 2 and 7,c7 by striking paragraph 7#c7 and inserting the following3 7#c7 ,limitations ,no person who received an allotment or has a pending allotment under the ,act of ,may #ag1 #aijf1 may receive an allotment under this section1 other than-- 7,a7 an heir who applies for1 and receives1 an allotment on behalf of the estate of a deceased person under paragraph 7#b72 and 7,b7 a person who1 prior to the date on which the ,secretary promulgates regulations pursuant to section #c of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act1 received an allotment under the ,act of ,may #ag1 #aijf 7#cd ,stat4 #aig1 chapter #bdfi71 that has a total area of less than #afj acres4 2 7#c7 by redesignating subsections 7d7 and 7e7 as subsections 7f7 and 7g71 respectively2 7#d7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,approval of allotments 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to any valid right in existence on the date of enactment of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act1 and except as provided in paragraph 7#c71 not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act1 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 approve any application for an allotment filed in accordance with subsection 7a72 and 7,b7 issue a certificate of allotment under such terms1 conditions1 and restrictions as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7#b7 ,notification ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act1 on receipt of an application for an allotment under this section1 the ,secretary shall provide to any person or entity that has an interest in land described in subsection 7a77#b7 that is potentially adverse to the interest of the applicant a notice of the right of the person or entity1 by not later than #ij days after the date of receipt of the notice-- 7,a7 to initiate a private contest of the allotment2 or 7,b7 to file a protest against the allotment in accordance with procedures established by the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,action by ,secretary ,if a private contest or protest relating to an application for an allotment is initiated or filed under paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall not issue a certificate for the allotment under paragraph 7#a77;,b7 until a final determination has been made with respect to the private contest or protest4 7e7 ,reselection ,a person that selected an allotment under this section may withdraw that selection and reselect land in accordance with this section after the date of enactment of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act1 if the land originally selected-- 7#a7 was selected before the date of enactment of the ,alaska ,native ,veterans ,land ,allotment ,equity ,act2 and 7#b7 as of the date of enactment of that ,act1 was not conveyed to the person4 2 and 7#e7 by striking subsection 7f71 as designated by paragraph 7#c7 and inserting3 7f7 ,definitions ,for the purposes of this section3 7#a7 ,the term veteran means a person who served in the active military1 naval1 or air service1 and who was discharged or released therefrom4 7#b7 ,the term ,vietnam era has the meaning given the term by paragraph 7#bi7 of section #aja of title #ch4 4 #c4 ,regulations ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of the ,interior shall promulgate1 after consultation with ,alaska ,native organizations1 final regulations to carry out the amendments made by section #b4 ,during the consultation process1 the ,secretary shall1 in coordination with ,alaska ,native organizations and to the greatest extent possible1 identify persons who are eligible to receive an allotment under the amendments made by section #b4 ,upon promulgation of the final regulations1 the ,secretary shall contact each of these persons directly to provide an explanation of the process by which the person may apply for an allotment under the amendments made by section #b4