Introduced in House

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2815 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2815

     To provide equitable treatment for the people of the Village
 Corporation established for the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska, and
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2025

  Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

     To provide equitable treatment for the people of the Village
 Corporation established for the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska, and
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cape Fox Land Entitlement
Finalization Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Cape fox.--The term ``Cape Fox'' means the Cape Fox
        Village Corporation, a Village Corporation for the Native
        Village of Saxman, Alaska, organized pursuant to the Alaska
        Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
            (2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the
        approximately 180 acres of surface land within the Tongass
        National Forest in the State of Alaska, as generally depicted
        on the Map.
            (3) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled ``Cape
        Fox Village Corporation Final Selection'' and dated December
        18, 2023.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. WAIVER OF CORE TOWNSHIP REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN LAND.

SEC. 3. WAIVER OF CORE TOWNSHIP REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN LAND.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 16(b) of the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1615(b)), Cape Fox shall not be
required to select or receive conveyance of the approximately 185 acres
of unconveyed land described in subsection (b) located within the
township in which the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska, is located.
    (b) Land Described.--The land referred to in subsection (a) is as
follows:
            (1) Approximately 40 acres in T. 74 S., R.90 E., sec. 10,
        SWNE, Copper River Meridian.
            (2) Approximately 144.57 acres in T. 75 S., R.91 E., sec.
        1, lots 1, 3, and 4, Copper River Meridian.

SEC. 4. SELECTION OUTSIDE EXTERIOR SELECTION BOUNDARY.

SEC. 4. SELECTION OUTSIDE EXTERIOR SELECTION BOUNDARY.

    (a) Selection and Conveyance of Surface Estate.--Not later than 90
days after the date of enactment of this Act, if Cape Fox submits to
the Secretary a written notice of selection of the Federal land, the
Secretary shall, on receiving that written notice, convey the Federal
land to Cape Fox.
    (b) Conveyance of Subsurface Estate.--On conveyance to Cape Fox of
the surface estate to the Federal land under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall convey to Sealaska Corporation the subsurface estate to
that Federal land.
    (c) Timing.--It is the intent of Congress that the Secretary
complete the conveyances to Cape Fox and Sealaska Corporation under
subsections (a) and (b), respectively, as soon as practicable after the
date on which the Secretary receives a written notice of the selection
of Cape Fox under subsection (a), but not later than 180 days after the
date on which the Secretary receives that written notice.
    (d) Entitlement Fulfilled.--The conveyance of Federal land to Cape
Fox and the subsurface interest in the Federal land to Sealaska
Corporation under subsections (a) and (b), respectively, shall be
considered to fulfill the entitlement of--
            (1) Cape Fox under section 16 of the Alaska Native Claims
        Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1615); and
            (2) Sealaska Corporation to any subsurface interest in the
        Federal land under section 14(f) of that Act (43 U.S.C.
        1613(f)).

SEC. 5. PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT.

SEC. 5. PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT.

    The conveyance of the Federal land under section 4 shall be subject
to the reservation of a public easement under section 17(b) of the
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1616(b)) to allow for
access to National Forest System land further inland on Revillagigedo
Island from the George Inlet.
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