Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 410) to extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 410

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF THE ALASKA NATIVE VIETNAM ERA VETERANS LAND ALLOTMENT PROGRAM.

Section 1119(b)(3)(B) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (43 U.S.C. 1629g-1(b)(3)(B)) is amended by striking ``5-year period'' and inserting ``10-year period''.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. 410, the bill now under consideration.

I rise to support H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025.

Sponsored by Representative Begich, this legislation would extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program for an additional 5 years, to end on December 29, 2030.

Alaska Natives have long experienced land-related hardships. Recognizing this, Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971 to settle the aboriginal land claims of Alaska Natives.

Unfortunately, this congressional action coincided with the Vietnam war, meaning that many Alaska Natives who were serving overseas in the U.S. military at the time were unable to apply for a land allotment. Congress has attempted to fix this problem legislatively over the years, but many eligible Alaska Native veterans have yet to receive their allotment.

Accordingly, the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program was established in the 116th Congress. Through this program, eligible Alaska Natives, or their heirs, can select an allotment of up to 160 acres of certain Federal land.

In January 2021, the Trump administration revoked 11 public land orders, which opened up 28 million acres of Bureau of Land Management land for allotment purposes. The next month, however, the newly elected Biden administration postponed that revocation, prompting a battle that waged throughout the rest of President Biden's term. During that time, Alaska Natives remained without their allotments.

Immediately upon his return to office this year, President Trump reinstated the revocation through an executive order titled ``Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential.''

While this executive order will help address Alaska Natives' allotment needs, the program is running out of time. Recent estimates show that over 2,000 eligible Alaska Native veterans had yet to receive their allotment, illustrating a clear need for an extension.

H.R. 410 would provide this relief by extending the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program for an additional 5 years.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Begich for sponsoring this legislation, for his hard work on behalf of Alaska Native veterans, and for ensuring that we keep our promises to those who fought for this country.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, again, would extend the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program through the end of 2030.

I commend Mr. Begich for his leadership and for working on this important issue for his constituents in Alaska.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of H.R. 410, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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