Title: Amend Alaska Native Veterans Law

 

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest and largest national organization established in 1944 and comprised of representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and local Tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of NCAI; and,

WHEREAS, Native American men and women have historically served in great numbers and with honor in the military forces of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, many Alaskan Native men and women served in the armed forces during the Vietnam era, between 1964 and 1971; and

WHEREAS, many of those service persons spent years, and many are still, suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome as a direct result of the war as acknowledged by the media, and in granting of compensatory law and federal services; and

WHEREAS, as compensation the U.S. Congress passed the Alaska Native Veterans law on October 21, 1998, which allows certain Alaska Native Veterans an opportunity to apply for a Native allotment under the provisions of the Alaska Native Allotment Act of 1906; and

WHEREAS, the Alaska Native Veterans law does not allow veterans to apply for land located within the Tongass National Forest where most veterans live in Southeast Alaska, effectively eliminating their access to land under the law; and

WHEREAS, there is not enough of an available land pool to satisfy the intent of the law.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby support amending the Alaska Native Allotment Act of 1906 to meet the special needs of the Vietnam Era veterans; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby support the Act be specifically amended to include Vietnam Veterans serving during the full war period, 1964-1971; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby support amending that section of the law relating to land allotments for Veterans to include a provision granting just compensation in lieu of land if no suitable land is available for Veterans; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby request that consideration also be given to Vietnam veterans not applying for these or other benefits while still suffering, decades after the end of the war, from post-traumatic stress syndrome.

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000 with a quorum present.

_____________________________

Susan Masten, President

Juana Majel, Recording Secretary

Adopted by the General Assembly during the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000.