Senator Murkowski's 'Landless' Bill Advances to U.S. Senate Floor, Aiming to Benefit Alaska Native Communities
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski's 'landless' bill, aimed at benefiting five Southeast Alaska Native communities, has advanced to the U.S. Senate floor. This legislative effort, which has been in the works for over three decades, seeks to allow Native residents of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell to form urban corporations and receive land entitlements. The bill, known as the Alaska Native Landless Equity Act, proposes to convey specified land to these communities, fulfilling a promise made over 50 years ago. The U.S. House companion bill, introduced by Rep. Nick Begich III, passed without opposition earlier this year. Murkowski has emphasized the importance of this bill in correcting historical injustices faced by these communities, which were excluded from the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. The bill has garnered support from environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy and The Wilderness Society, although some opposition remains from those who prefer federal control of th...