Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025

Floor Speech

I rise today in support of H.R. 410, a bill that would extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program until 2030, giving those brave men and women who served in the Vietnam war additional time to apply for and claim the land allotments that they were promised.

In 1906, Congress passed the Alaska Native Allotment Act to provide individual Alaska Natives up to 160-acre allotments. However, this law was later repealed with the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971. While many Alaska Natives were able to apply for allotments prior to the ANCSA, others were unable to due to their active military service at the time.

To correct the issue, Congress established the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program in 2019. Under the program, Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans who served between 1964 and 1971 and had not previously received an allotment, or their heirs, were deemed eligible to apply.

Despite the number of veterans still eligible to apply, the program is set to expire in December of this year. By extending the program through 2030, Congress will reinforce our support for Native communities and give eligible Alaska Native veterans the time they need to apply for the land that they are entitled to.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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