FAQ

An injustice remains for these five Southeast Alaska Native communities: their land claims were not settled. Congressionally commissioned studies have proven the communities’ eligibility for inclusion in the Act and provided no explanation for their omission at ANCSA inception. Being left out of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act meant that they did not receive the monetary compensation or land that came with inclusion, not to mention the opportunity to create an Alaska Native corporation for the benefit of each of the communities. Land lies at the heart of the Alaska Native culture and identity, and no matter the amount of time passed, the failure by Congress to include these five communities needs to be rectified.

There’s no question that the legislative process is complex and to move Congress to address historic inequities through the legislative process takes time — however, 50 years has been too long to right this historic wrong. But it is also true that the landless legislation has more momentum and attention now than it ever has. This issue can only be fixed by Congress amending ANCSA to include the communities of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee Springs and Wrangell, and thus allow them to create urban corporations and manage a single township of land in and around each of their communities. Only then will this issue be resolved.

Yes! Ultimately, the full U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate will vote on this issue when it passes out of the committees of jurisdiction. This is an important Indigenous land rights, human rights, and equality issue. Therefore, it is important to build awareness and advocacy through every state's congressional delegation. The truth is that legislators outside of Alaska do not fully understand this complex issue, so your advocacy and education is critically important for them. Please do so.