Introduction Of The Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act
Mr. Speaker, in the last Congress, I introduced a bill to set right an unfair situation dealt to Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans who were unaware that their rights to apply for their Native allotment were expiring while they were off in a…
Mr. Speaker, in the last Congress, I introduced a bill to set right an unfair situation dealt to Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans who were unaware that their rights to apply for their Native allotment were expiring while they were off in a foreign land fighting for our country. By far, American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest percentage of answering their call to duty when there is a conflict of war.
My bill would amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) to provide equitable treatment of Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans in their acquisition of land under the Native Allotment Act. This solution has been a long time in coming and my goal is to have Congress rectify this inequity.
Approximately 2,800 Alaska Natives served in the military during the Vietnam conflict and did not have an opportunity to apply for their native allotment. Even though a prior ANCSA amendment gave Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans an opportunity to obtain their allotment, the Amendment contained three major obstacles providing a roadblock to actually obtaining it.
First, Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans could only apply for land that was vacant and unreserved when their use first began. My bill will
increase the available land by authorizing these veterans to apply for land that is federally owned and vacant. This is necessary because most land in Alaska is not available for Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans veteran allotment application under existing law. For example, there is no land available in southeast Alaska because it either is within the Tongass National Forest or has been selected or conveyed to the State of Alaska or ANCSA Corporations.
Second, Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans could only apply if they served in active military duty from January 1, 1969 to December 31, 1971. My bill will expand the military service dates to August 5, 1964 through May 7, 1975, the dates of the entire Vietnam conflict.
Third, Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans had to prove they used the desired allotment land in a continuous and independent manner for five or more years. My bill will replace existing use and occupancy requirements with legislative approval of allotment applications. Many Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans could not meet use and occupancy requirements as a result of military service. This bill changes that so that a deserving Alaska Native Vietnam veteran would not be rejected if that veteran were unable to complete the five years of use of the claimed land, before or after the war.
This is an issue of fairness which is long overdue for my Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans. Never before has the federal government given partial benefits to only \1/4\ or \1/2\ of any veteran of any war. Fulfill our promise to all Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans and allow them to obtain their Native Allotment under the Native Allotment Act.