Murkowski Fights for Alaska Native 8(a)s

Press Release

As some on Capitol Hill single out and challenge Alaska Native Corporations' participation in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program, Senator Lisa Murkowski lashed back in a hearing of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. "My colleagues want to measure the Indian 8(a) program with a spreadsheet, but bean counters can't measure self-sufficiency or innovation."

The Alaska Native Corporations are exempted from a contract cap and automatically classified as "disadvantaged," a label criticized during the hearing based on income data. "When some of my colleagues are dismissive about Alaska Natives being categorized "disadvantaged,'" Murkowski observed, "they must realize we're talking about a population, many times, without a road system or water supply system and not just a lump average income statistic."

The Small Business Administration made a number of revisions to 8(a) programs last month -- at the request of ANCs, Native American and Hawaiian groups -- tightening many of the reporting requirements and raising the accountability standards.

"The 8(a) reforms have just been put into place, with a new standard for stronger business practices. What the Alaska Native Corporations and the 8(a) community deserve now isn't a DC crackdown, but time for the improvements to take root."

Panelists included Alaska Federation of Natives President Julie Kitka, National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Jackie Johnson-Pata, Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chief James Allen and representatives from the Small Business Administration.

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