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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2068 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2068

  To provide for a study of the recommendations of the Joint Federal-
State Commission on Policies and Programs Affecting Alaska Natives, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 12, 1996

 Mr. Murkowski (for himself and Mr. Stevens) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
  To provide for a study of the recommendations of the Joint Federal-
State Commission on Policies and Programs Affecting Alaska Natives, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Joint Federal-State Commission on Policies and 
        Programs Affecting Alaska Natives (hereafter in this Act 
        referred to as the ``Alaska Natives Commission'') was 
        established by the Indian Law Enforcement Act (42 U.S.C. 2991a 
        note) following--
                    (A) the publication in 1989 of the report entitled 
                ``Report on the Status of Alaska Natives: A Call for 
                Action by the Alaska Federation of Natives''; and
                    (B) extensive congressional hearings that focused 
                on the need for the first comprehensive assessment of 
                the social, cultural, and economic condition of 86,000 
                Alaska Natives since the enactment of the Alaska Native 
                Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
            (2)(A) The 14-member Alaska Natives Commission held--
                    (i) 15 regional hearings throughout Alaska between 
                July 1992 and October 1993; and
                    (ii) 2 statewide hearings in Anchorage, Alaska, 
                coinciding with the conventions of 1992 and 1993 of the 
                Alaska Federation of Natives.
            (B) In May 1994, the Alaska Natives Commission issued a 3-
        volume, 440-page report.
            (3) As required by the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act, 
        the report referred to in paragraph (2) was formally conveyed 
        to the Congress, the President of the United States, and the 
        Governor of Alaska.
            (4) The Alaska Natives Commission found that many Alaska 
        Native individuals, families, and communities were experiencing 
        a social, cultural, and economic crisis marked by rampant 
        unemployment, the lack of economic opportunity, alcohol abuse, 
        depression, and morbidity and mortality rates that were 
        described by health care professionals as staggering.
            (5) The Alaska Natives Commission found that due to the 
        high rate of unemployment and lack of economic opportunities 
        for Alaska Natives, government programs for the poor have 
        become the foundation of many village economies.
            (6) Displacing traditional Alaska Native social safety 
        nets, the programs referred to in paragraph (5) (that were 
        developed with well-meaning intentions) have--
                    (A) undermined the healthy interdependence and 
                self-sufficiency of Alaska Native tribes and families; 
                and
                    (B) placed Alaska Native tribes and families at 
                risk of becoming permanent dependents of the Federal 
                Government.
            (7) Despite the seemingly insurmountable problems referred 
        to in the preceding paragraphs, the Alaska Natives Commission 
        found that Alaska Natives, building on the Alaska Native Claims 
        Settlement Act, had commenced a unique process of critical 
        self-examination that, if supported by the Congress through 
        innovative legislation and effective public administration at 
        all levels, including traditional Native governance, could 
        provide the basis for an Alaska Native social, cultural, 
        economic, and spiritual renewal.
            (8) The Alaska Natives Commission recognized that the key 
        to the future well-being of Alaska Natives resided in--
                    (A) the systematic resumption of responsibility by 
                Alaska Natives for the well-being of the members of 
                Alaska Native tribes;
                    (B) the strengthening of the economies of Alaska 
                Natives;
                    (C) the strengthening, operation, and control of 
                their systems of governance, social services, 
                education, health care, and law enforcement; and
                    (D) exercising rights that Alaska Natives have as a 
                result of the special relationship of Alaska Natives 
                with the Federal Government and as citizens of the 
                United States and Alaska.
            (9) The Alaska Natives Commission recognized that the 
        following 3 basic principles must be respected in addressing 
        the myriad of problems facing Alaska Natives--
                    (A) self-reliance;
                    (B) self-determination; and
                    (C) the integrity of Native cultures.
            (10) There is a need to address the problems confronting 
        Alaska Natives referred to in the preceding paragraphs.
            (11) The problems referred to in paragraph (10) should be 
        addressed rapidly, with certainty, and in conformity with the 
        real economic, social, and cultural needs of Alaska Natives.
            (12) The Congress--
                    (A) retains and has exercised its constitutional 
                authority over Native affairs in Alaska subsequent to 
                the Treaty of Cession of Alaska to the United States; 
                and
                    (B) through this Act, exercises that authority.

SEC. 2. ALASKA NATIVE IMPLEMENTATION STUDY.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
            (1) the Alaska Natives Commission adopted certain 
        recommendations that raise important policy questions that--
                    (A) are unresolved in Alaska; and
                    (B) require further study and review before 
                Congress considers legislation to implement solutions 
                to address these recommendations; and
            (2) the Alaska Federation of Natives is the representative 
        body of statewide Alaska Native interests that is best suited 
        to further investigate and report to Congress with proposals to 
        implement the recommendations of the Alaska Natives Commission.
    (b) Grant.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall make a 
        grant to the Alaska Federation of Natives to--
                    (A) conduct a study under this section; and
                    (B) submit the report to the persons and entities 
                specified in subsection (e).
            (2) Condition for grant.--The grant under paragraph (1) may 
        only be made if the Alaska Federation of Natives enters into an 
        agreement with the Secretary of the Interior that states that 
as a condition to receive the grant, the Alaska Federation of Natives 
will abide by the approval of requirements of this section.
    (c) Study.--Pursuant to subsection (b), the Alaska Federation of 
Natives shall--
            (1) examine the recommendations of the Alaska Natives 
        Commission;
            (2) examine initiatives in the United States, Canada, and 
        other governments for successful approaches to addressing the 
        issues that are similar to the issues addressed by the Alaska 
        Natives Commission;
            (3) conduct hearings within the Alaska Native community on 
        further approaches that could be used to implement the 
        recommendations of the Alaska Natives Commission; and
            (4) provide recommended legislation and submit other 
        recommendations to the Congress concerning actions the Congress 
        should take to implement such recommendations.
    (d) Consideration of Local Control.--In developing its 
recommendations pursuant to subsection (c)(4), the Alaska Federation of 
Natives shall give specific attention to the ways in which the 
recommendations may be achieved at the local level with maximum local 
control of the implementation of the recommendations.
    (e) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
        which a grant is made under subsection (b), the Alaska 
        Federation of Natives shall submit a report on the study 
        conducted under this section, together with the recommendations 
        developed pursuant to subsection (c)(4), to--
                    (A) the President;
                    (B) the Congress; and
                    (C) the Governor and the legislature of the State 
                of Alaska.
            (2) Availability.--The Alaska Federation of Natives shall 
        make the report submitted to Congress under paragraph (1) 
        available to Alaska Native villages and organizations and to 
        the general public.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of the Interior, $350,000 for the grant 
under subsection (b).
    (g) Additional State Funding.--The Congress encourages the State of 
Alaska to provide the additional funding necessary for the completion 
of the study under this section.
    (h) Alaska Native Defined.--For purposes of the study conducted 
under this Act, the term ``Alaska Native'' shall have the meaning 
provided the term ``Native'' under section 3(b) of the Alaska Native 
Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(b)).
                                 <all>
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