,,iii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #dhb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #af1 #bjba,mr4 ,sullivan 7for himself and ,ms4 ,murkowski7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs ,,resolution ,recognizing the #ejth anniversary of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act and the lasting impact of that ,act on the ,state of ,alaska and ,alaska ,native people4 ,whereas the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 7referred to in this preamble as ,,ancsa7 was signed into law on ,december #ah1 #aiga1 to settle long-standing issues of ,alaska ,native aboriginal land claims in the ,state of ,alaska 7referred to in this preamble as the ,state72 ,whereas the #aigjs welcomed a new era of ,federal ,indian policy1 one of economic and self-determination1 with the passage of ,,ancsa2 ,whereas title to #dd1jjj1jjj acres of land and #ifb1ejj1jjj were transferred to ,alaska ,native people as a result of the land claims settlement under ,,ancsa1 including-- 7#a7 title to property in the clearly defined traditional homelands of ,alaska ,native people2 and 7#b7 money to help compensate for the land ,alaska ,native people would not receive2 ,whereas the purpose of the land claims settlement under ,,ancsa was to ensure the social and economic well-being of ,alaska ,native people without creating a lengthy wardship under the ,federal ,government2 ,whereas ,,ancsa mandated-- 7#a7 the creation of-- 7,a7 #ab land-owning and for-profit ,regional ,corporations covering all of the ,state2 and 7,b7 #a non-land-owning ,regional ,corporation for non-residents of the ,state2 and 7#b7 the incorporation of over #bjj ,village ,corporations and ,urban ,corporations within each region of the ,state1 either as for-profit or nonprofit corporations1 with the land1 assets1 and businesses of those corporations to be owned by ,native shareholders2 ,whereas ,,ancsa redefined ,alaska ,native land ownership by conveying ,native-owned fee simple title to the newly created ,native ,corporations and1 through those ,corporations1 to ,alaska ,native shareholders of each ,corporation1 rather than using the land ownership model used in the #dh contiguous ,states of designating reservations held in trust by the ,federal ,government2 ,whereas1 recognizing the uneven distribution of natural resources in the ,state among the #ab regions in the ,state1 subsections 7i7 and 7j7 of section #g of ,,ancsa 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjf7 include provisions that reflect the ,alaska ,native values of sharing and cooperation2 ,whereas1 under section #g of ,,ancsa 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjf7-- 7#a7 #gj percent of the annual revenues of each land-owning ,regional ,corporation derived from the land of that ,regional ,corporation are required under subsection 7i7 of that section to be shared with all other ,regional ,corporations2 and 7#b7 ,regional ,corporations are then required1 under subsection 7j7 of that section1 to share #ej percent of the revenues described in paragraph 7#a7 with-- 7,a7 the ,village ,corporations and ,urban ,corporations that are located in the same region as the applicable ,regional ,corporation2 and 7,b7 the at-large shareholders of the applicable ,regional ,corporation2 ,whereas each ,regional ,corporation1 at times1 has received more shared revenue under section #g7;i7 of ,,ancsa 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjf7;i77 than internally produced revenue1 demonstrating the importance of incorporating the ,alaska ,native values of sharing and cooperation into ,,ancsa2 ,whereas1 under ,,ancsa during the #ej-year period preceding the date of adoption of this resolution1 ,alaska ,native people have managed their land successfully1 fostering sustainable businesses and creating employment opportunities for all ,alaskans1 ,native and non-,native1 and people across the ,united ,states and around the world2 ,whereas ,,ancsa has benefitted all ,alaskans-- 7#a7 through diversifying the economy of the ,state2 and 7#b7 by bringing revenue and expertise back to the ,state through ,native ,corporation business ventures in the national and international realms2 ,whereas ,,ancsa has been amended by almost every ,congress since the enactment of that ,act in #aiga1 with some of the most significant and lasting amendments being enacted in the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act ,amendments of #aihg 7,public ,law #ajj-bda2 #aja ,stat4 #aghh7 7commonly known as the #aiia amendments7 7referred to in this preamble as the #aiia amendments72 ,whereas among the provisions in the #aiia amendments was an extension of the prohibition on the sale of ,native ,corporation stock in perpetuity unless a majority of all shareholders of the applicable ,native ,corporation voted to remove that restriction1 which-- 7#a7 enabled shares to be held mostly by the ,alaska ,native people2 and 7#b7 allowed ,alaska ,native people to pass that stock from #a generation to the next and1 as a result1 increase the number of ,alaska ,native shareholders in a ,native ,corporation2 ,whereas another provision in the #aiia amendments allowed shareholders of each ,native ,corporation to vote to include descendants of original shareholders born after the date of enactment of ,,ancsa to become shareholders regardless of date of birth2 ,whereas the pioneering work of ,alaska ,native leaders of the mid-#bjth century created a lasting legacy of professional1 personal1 and historic economic success2 ,whereas ,alaska ,native people have prospered from their own initiative and innovative approaches to fostering economic development through self-determination2 ,whereas ,alaska ,native resiliency1 leadership1 and relentless work ethic have developed and supported some of the previously most underserved regions in the ,united ,states into some of the most thriving1 improving life expectancy and health conditions in those very regions2 ,whereas subsequent to ,,ancsa ushering in the era of self-determination in ,federal ,indian policy1 the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecja et seq47 7referred to in this preamble as the ,,isdeaa7 was enacted in #aige2 ,whereas the ,,isdeaa defined ,native ,corporations as ,indian ,tribes for the purposes of that ,act2 ,whereas1 because of the ,,isdeaa1 federally recognized ,alaska ,native ,tribes and ,native ,corporations have worked together to serve as providers for health1 housing1 and other ,tribal services2 ,whereas1 beyond monetary benefits to shareholders1 ,native ,corporations1 through the structure and mandates of ,,ancsa1 provide countless additional benefits1 including-- 7#a7 scholarships2 7#b7 burial and funeral assistance2 7#c7 internships2 7#d7 language revitalization programs2 7#e7 careers2 and 7#f7 culture camps2 ,whereas education has1 and continues to be1 a key focus for ,regional ,corporations1 which is evidenced by the fact that all #ab land-owning ,regional ,corporations have-- 7#a7 education foundations to help support shareholders and descendants who want to advance their educational endeavors2 and 7#b7 as of the date of adoption of this resolution1 awarded more than #ed1jjj individual scholarships2 ,whereas ,alaska ,native people hold numerous positions of leadership in the ,state and beyond1 inspiring younger generations of ,alaskans2 ,whereas further improvements to ,,ancsa must continue in order to fulfill all of the promises of ,,ancsa and all of the promises made by the ,federal ,government to ,alaska ,native people2 ,whereas the dedication and enthusiasm of the next generations of ,alaska ,native leaders honors the previous generations of ,alaska ,native leaders who worked diligently to achieve the most significant ,native land settlement in the history of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas1 with the adoption of ,senate ,resolution #cea1 #aabth ,congress1 agreed to ,december #ag1 #bjaa1 the ,senate recognized the importance of ,,ancsa2 and ,whereas the people of the ,united ,states have reason to honor the tremendous educational1 social1 political1 economic1 and cultural achievements of ,alaska ,native people over the past #ej years3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 recognizes ,december #ah1 #bjba1 as the #ejth anniversary of the passage of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 7referred to in this resolution as ,,ancsa72 7#b7 commemorates the extensive achievements made by ,alaska ,native people through the implementation of ,,ancsa1 while simultaneously maintaining their culture1 traditions1 and ways of life1 during the #ej-year period preceding the date of adoption of this resolution2 and 7#c7 celebrates the successes of ,alaska ,native people during that #ej-year period1 with optimism for the next #ej years and beyond4