Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/20pdf/20-543_3e04.pdf
Page Number: 33.0

2 

YELLEN v. CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF CHEHALIS 
RESERVATION 
GORSUCH, J., dissenting 

agrees, providing two competing theories for its result.  Re-
spectfully, I find neither persuasive and would affirm. 

I 
  The  Alaska  Native  Claims  Settlement  Act  of  1971 
(ANCSA)  sought  to  “settle  all  land  claims  by  Alaska  Na-
tives” by “transfer[ring] $962.5 million in state and federal 
funds and approximately 44 million acres of Alaska land to 
state-chartered  private  business  corporations”  in  which 
Alaska Natives were given shares.  Alaska v. Native Village 
of  Venetie  Tribal  Government,  522  U. S.  520,  523–524 
(1998); 43 U. S. C. §1601 et seq.  In particular, ANCSA es-
tablished over 200 “Village Corporations” and 12 “Regional 
Corporations.”    §§1602,  1606.    The  Village  Corporations 
were created to hold and manage “lands, property, funds, 
and  other  rights  and  assets  for  and  on  behalf  of  a  Native 
village.”  §1602(j).  Meanwhile, shares in the Regional Cor-
porations went to individuals across many different tribes 
and villages.  §§1604, 1606(g)(1)(A).  These corporations re-
ceived most of the settlement funds and lands Congress pro-
vided,  assets  they  use  to  “conduct  business  for  profit.”  
§§1606(d), 1610–1613; see also Brief for Federal Petitioner 
5.  Today, ANCs are involved in oil and gas, mining, mili-
tary contracting, real estate, construction, communications 
and  media,  engineering,  plastics,  timber,  and  aerospace 
manufacturing, among other things.  GAO, Report to Con-
gressional  Requesters,  Regional  Alaska  Native  Corpora-
tions:  Status  40  Years  After  Establishment,  and  Future 
Considerations  (GAO–13–121,  Dec.  2012).    “In  fiscal  year 
2017,  ANCs  had  a  combined  net  revenue  of  $9.1  billion.”  
Confederated  Tribes  of  Chehalis  Reservation  v.  Mnuchin, 
456 F. Supp. 3d 152, 157 (DC 2020). 
  Everyone agrees that ANCs are entitled to some CARES 
Act  relief.    Already,  they  have  received  benefits  Congress 
allocated to corporations, like the Paycheck Protection Pro-
gram.  See Brief for Respondent Ute Indian Tribe of Uintah