 May 24, 2002
"When the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) became law in 1971, many Alaska Natives were serving in the military," Murkowski said. "Because they were serving in the military, many were unable to apply for, select, and ultimately gain title to up to 160 acres under the Alaska Native Allotment Act of 1906, which ended when ANCSA became law." Murkowski said the effect was to deny assistance to Native veterans from the Vietnam era, assistance which was available to other resident Natives. "Allowing the veterans who served in Vietnam the same advantages as others is only fair," Murkowski said. Murkowski won passage of legislation addressing this inequity in 1998, but the Clinton Administration would only accept a very restricted program according to the news release. Only 60 out of a possible 1,110 veterans who could qualify (about five percent) even had a chance of receiving an allotment. The legislation Murkowski introduced expands the military service dates for qualification for the program to coincide with the official dates the Department of Veterans Affairs uses to define the Vietnam conflict era, August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975. The bill also simplifies the approval process, extends the application deadline to July 31, 2003, and expands the available land choices so that qualifying Alaska Native veterans will have both the time and the allotment options necessary for participation. "These are simple, common sense changes which will enable this group of veterans to secure the land allotments they deserve," Murkowski said. "We must make these changes now. It would be a tragedy if many of these veterans were to die before having their applications approved," Murkowski said. Applicants must meet the "use and occupancy" criteria established in the 1906 law, meaning they must show they historically used the lands they wish to select. Representatives of qualifying Native veterans who died in service, or who were wounded and later died of their wounds, may file applications on behalf of such veterans' estates.
Source of News Release:
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