119-s1468

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1468 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1468

 To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that 
 Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a Village Corporation 
 under that Act, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 April 10, 2025

 Mr. Sullivan introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that 
 Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a Village Corporation 
 under that Act, 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. ALEXANDER CREEK RECOGNITION.

 The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``

SEC. 43. ALEXANDER CREEK RECOGNITION.

 ``

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Alexander creek, incorporated.--The term `Alexander 
 Creek, Incorporated' means Alexander Creek, Incorporated, the 
 entity organized and recognized--
 ``
        (A) on the day before the date of enactment of 
 this section, as a Group Corporation; and
 ``
        (B) effective beginning on the date of enactment 
 of this section, as a Village Corporation.
 ``

    (2) Alexander creek village.--The term `Alexander Creek 
 village' means the community--
 ``
        (A) located in T. 15 N., R. 7 W., Seward 
 Meridian, in the State; and
 ``
        (B) recognized as a Native village under 
 subsection

    (b)

    (2) .
 ``

    (3) Region.--The term `Region' means Cook Inlet Region, 
 Incorporated, the appropriate Regional Corporation for 
 Alexander Creek, Incorporated, under 

section 14

    (h) .
 ``

    (b) Recognition of Alexander Creek.--Notwithstanding 

section 1432
            (d) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (Public 
Law 96-487; 94 Stat. 2543) and the deadline described in 

section 11

    (b)

    (3) , subject to the requirements of this section--
 ``

    (1) Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a 
 Village Corporation pursuant to this Act; and
 ``

    (2) Alexander Creek village shall be recognized as a 
 Native village, notwithstanding any other provision of this 
 Act.
 ``
            (c) Organization of Alexander Creek, Incorporated.--As soon as 
practicable after the date of enactment of this section, Alexander 
Creek, Incorporated, shall submit to the Secretary--
 ``

    (1) any amendments to the State corporate charter of 
 Alexander Creek, Incorporated, necessary to convert Alexander 
 Creek, Incorporated, from a Group Corporation to a Village 
 Corporation; and
 ``

    (2) if necessary, any amendments to the State corporate 
 charter or governing business documents of Alexander Creek, 
 Incorporated, that fulfill the terms of the agreement described 
 in subsection
            (d) .
 ``
            (d) Agreement.--
 ``

    (1) Negotiations.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
 of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall offer to 
 enter into negotiations with Alexander Creek, Incorporated, for 
 the purposes of fairly and equitably settling--
 ``
        (A) the aboriginal land claims of Alexander 
 Creek, Incorporated; and
 ``
        (B) any other claims of Alexander Creek, 
 Incorporated, against the United States.
 ``

    (2) Condition.--As a condition of recognition as a 
 Village Corporation under this Act, Alexander Creek, 
 Incorporated, shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary 
 to achieve the purposes described in paragraph

    (1) by not later 
 than 13 months after the date of enactment of this section.
 ``

    (3) Parity.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
 agreement under this subsection shall achieve parity, with 
 respect to approximate value, with similar agreements of other 
 Village Corporations.
 ``

    (4) Treatment for federal property 

=== purposes ===
-
 ``
        (A) Coordination with gsa.--The Secretary shall 
 coordinate with the Administrator of General Services 
 with respect to any surplus property to be transferred 
 to Alexander Creek, Incorporated, pursuant to the 
 agreement under this subsection.
 ``
        (B) Status as a state and state agency.--
 Notwithstanding paragraphs

    (2) and

    (3) of 

section 549

    (a) of title 40, United States Code, Alexander 
 Creek, Incorporated, shall be considered to be a 
 `State' and a `State agency' under that section for 
 purposes of the agreement under this subsection.
 ``
            (C) Surplus property.--Notwithstanding any other 
 provision of law, Alexander Creek, Incorporated, shall 
 be eligible to receive real property declared to be 
 surplus under 

section 1303 of title 40, United States 
 Code, for purposes of the agreement under this 
 subsection.
 ``

    (e) Shareholder Participation.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Alexander Creek, Incorporated, shall 
 notify each member of Alexander Creek village that--
 ``
        (A) effective beginning on the date of enactment 
 of this section, the members shall cease to receive 
 benefits from the Region as at-large shareholders 
 pursuant to 

section 7
            (m) ; and
 ``
        (B) all future resource payments from the Region 
 shall be retained by Alexander Creek, Incorporated, 
 pursuant to 

section 7

    (j) .
 ``

    (2) Liability.--The Region shall not be liable under any 
 State, Federal, or local law, or under State or Federal common 
 law, for damages arising out of or relating to the cessation of 
 payments to members of Alexander Creek village under paragraph

    (1)
        (A) .
 ``

    (f) Construction Relating to Land Entitlements.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Except as provided in this section with 
 respect to Alexander Creek, Incorporated, nothing in this 
 section modifies or amends any land conveyance entitlements or 
 conveyance agreement between--
 ``
        (A) the Region and Village Corporations other 
 than Alexander Creek, Incorporated;
 ``
        (B) the Region and the Federal Government; and
 ``
            (C) any party described in subparagraph
        (A) or
        (B) and the State.
 ``

    (2) Current alexander creek, incorporated, land.--Nothing 
 in this section reduces the land entitlement of Alexander 
 Creek, Incorporated, as a Group Corporation before the date of 
 enactment of this section, including any land selected by and 
 conveyed to Alexander Creek, Incorporated, before that date of 
 enactment.''.
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