S. 623Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed Senate

A bill to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to exclude certain payments to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives or descendants of Alaska Natives from being used to determine eligibility for certain programs, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 4:19 AM UTC

The bill changes the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act so that payments from Settlement Trusts to Alaska Natives who are aged, blind, or disabled (or their descendants) cannot be counted when determining eligibility for certain government programs. This protects vulnerable Alaska Native individuals from losing benefits because of trust income. It applies to Alaska Natives and their descendants who receive Settlement Trust benefits and to any programs that use income or assets to set eligibility rules.

Key Provisions

Amends Section 29(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act by removing the existing subparagraph (E) and adding new language that specifically excludes an interest in a Settlement Trust or any distribution from that trust to an aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Native or descendant from eligibility calculations for certain programs.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

December 20, 2024 • 5:03 PM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 2, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

March 2, 2023

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

May 17, 2023

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin without amendment. With written report No. 118-56.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 11, 2023

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 128.

July 11, 2023

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7218; text: CR S7218)

December 19, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 20, 2024

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

December 20, 2024 • 4:53 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

December 20, 2024 • 5:03 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 623 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. Lisa MurkowskiR-AK · Dec 19, 2024

As if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 128, S. 623; Calendar No. 626, S. 4451;…

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued December 19, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 623

AN ACT

To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to exclude certain payments to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives or descendants of Alaska Natives from being used to determine eligibility for certain programs, and for other purposes.

Eligibility for certain programs

Section 29(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1626(c)) is amended, in the undesignated matter following paragraph (3), by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the following:

(E)

an interest in a Settlement Trust or an amount distributed from or benefit provided by a Settlement Trust to a Native or descendant of a Native who is an aged, blind, or disabled individual (as defined in section 1614(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382c(a)).

Passed the Senate December 19 (legislative day, December 16), 2024.

Secretary