Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025
This bill removes the requirement that Alaska Native village corporations must convey lands to Alaska to be held in trust for future municipal governments.
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) requires all Alaska Native village corporations that receive land under the ANCSA to convey certain lands to the existing municipality in the village or, if no municipality exists, to Alaska in trust for any municipality that may be established in the future. This bill removes the requirement for conveyance. Additionally, the bill allows village corporations to regain title to the lands held in trust by dissolving the trust through formal resolution by the village corporation and the residents of the Native village.
[119th Congress Public Law 23]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 139 STAT. 403]]
Public Law 119-23
119th Congress
An Act
To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that Village
Corporations shall not be required to convey land in trust to the State
of Alaska for the establishment of Municipal Corporations, and for other
purposes. <<NOTE: July 7, 2025 - [H.R. 43]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Alaska Native
Village Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025.>>
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 43 USC 1601 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands
Restoration Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. REVERSION OF CERTAIN LAND CONVEYED IN TRUST TO THE STATE
OF ALASKA.
Section 14(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C.
1613(c)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as
subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and indenting
appropriately;
(2) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so
redesignated), by striking ``(c) Each patent'' and inserting the
following:
``(c) Conveyance of Certain Land by Village Corporation.--
``(1) In general.--Each patent'';
(3) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), in the undesignated
matter following subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated), in the
first sentence--
(A) by striking ``section 14(c) of this Act'' and
inserting ``this subsection''; and
(B) by striking ``There is authorized'' and
inserting the following:
``(2) Technical assistance.--
``(A) In general.--There are authorized'';
(4) in paragraph (2)(A) (as so redesignated), in the second
sentence, by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the
following:
``(B) Form of funding.--The Secretary''; and
(5) in paragraph (1) (as so designated)--
(A) in each of subparagraphs (A) and (B) (as so
redesignated)--
(i) by striking ``the'' the first place it
appears and inserting ``The''; and
(ii) by striking the semicolon at the end and
inserting a period;
(B) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated), by
striking ``the'' the first place it appears and
inserting ``The'';
[[Page 139 STAT. 404]]
(C) by striking ``existed as of'' in subparagraph
(D) (as so redesignated) and all that follows through
``for'' in subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated) and
inserting the following: ``existed as of December 18,
1971.
``(E) For''; and
(D) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated)--
(i) by striking the semicolon at the end and
inserting a period;
(ii) by striking ``in trust: Provided,
however, That the word'' and all that follows
through ``sentence,'' and inserting the following:
``in trust.
``(II) Definition of sale.--For
purposes of subclause (I), the term
`sale' '';
(iii) by striking ``one thousand two hundred
and eighty acres: Provided further, That any net''
and inserting the following: ``1,280 acres.
``(iii) Net revenues.--
``(I) In general.--Any net'';
(iv) by striking ``community needs: Provided,
That the'' and inserting the following:
``community needs.
``(ii) Minimum acreage.--The'';
(v) by striking ``(C) the Village
Corporation'' and inserting the following:
``(C) Conveyance to municipal corporation or the
state in trust.--
``(i) In general.--The Village Corporation'';
and
(vi) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) Cases in which conveyance shall not be
required.--
``(I) In general.--Notwithstanding
any other provision of this
subparagraph, if a Village Corporation,
prior to the date of enactment of the
Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands
Restoration Act of 2025, conveyed to the
State in trust all or a portion of the
acreage of land required to be conveyed
under this subparagraph for the
establishment of a Municipal Corporation
in the future, and a Municipal
Corporation has not been established as
of that date of enactment, on formal
resolution by the Village Corporation
and the residents of the Native village
requesting dissolution of the trust, the
trust shall be dissolved and title to
the land shall revert to the Village
Corporation, subject to subclause (III).
``(II) Additional land.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of
this subparagraph, as of the date of
enactment of the Alaska Native Village
Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025,
a Village Corporation shall not be
required to convey any additional land
in trust under this subparagraph for the
establishment of a Municipal Corporation
in the future.
``(III) Requirements.--In accordance
with subsection (g)--
``(aa) the reversion of land
to a Village Corporation
pursuant to subclause (I) shall
be subject to--
[[Page 139 STAT. 405]]
``(AA) valid existing
rights created by the
applicable trust; and
``(BB) any existing
easements, rights-of-way
necessary for public roadway
access, or rights-of-way for
access of holders of valid
existing rights; and
``(bb) the Village
Corporation shall assume the
obligations of the applicable
trust with respect to any lease
or other use agreement
applicable to the land on
reversion of the land to the
Village Corporation pursuant to
subclause (I).''.
Approved July 7, 2025.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 43:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 171 (2025):
Feb. 4, considered and passed House.
June 18, considered and passed Senate.
<all>
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H445-447)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 43.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H450-451)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 1 (Roll no. 28). (text: CR H445-446)
Roll Call #28 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 1 (Roll no. 28). (text: CR H445-446)
Roll Call #28 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Enacted as Public Law 119-23
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Received in the Senate, read twice.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S3459)
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Became Public Law No: 119-23.
Became Public Law No: 119-23.