03.12.19

Historic Alaska Native Vets Allotment Provision Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) today thanked President Donald J. Trump for signing S. 47, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. The legislation includes a version of Senator Sullivan’s Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act. This provision will allow several thousand Alaska Natives who served during the Vietnam era (or their heirs) to apply for their congressionally-promised Native allotment after they missed their initial opportunity to do so because of their service to the country.

Senator Sullivan attended the signing ceremony today at the White House, and afterward, visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to deliver a message to Alaskans about this historic achievement for Alaska’s Native Vietnam veterans.

SENATOR SULLIVAN’S VIDEO REMARKS:

We all know that our Vietnam vets came home to a country that didn’t respect their service. Despite fighting for America, they came back and were treated with disrespect … Alaska Native veterans also came home and were told that the Native allotment that you were allowed to apply for since 1906, you can’t apply for that anymore either… A terrible injustice to some of the most patriotic people in America.

I’m glad to say I just came back from a White House signing ceremony with President Trump where he signed the broad lands bill that Senator Murkowski shepherded through the Senate, but it also had my bill in it that was focused on righting this wrong— that now allows Alaska Native veterans from the Vietnam era, or their heirs, to apply for a Native allotment in our state—finally fixing and correcting a wrong that has been out there for many, many years.

Congressman Young and Senator Stevens took this on many years ago, but we had a lot more work to do and we made good progress…

I will also say that just a couple of minutes ago in the Oval Office, [President Trump] specifically highlighted this provision in the bill … and he specifically highlighted the Vietnam service of Alaska Natives…

We made good progress today. This is now a law—signed into law by the President just a few minutes ago.

To the Alaska Native vets: Congratulations, because you’ve been working on this for so long. And for all of our Vietnam vets: Thank you. Welcome home.

As the Senator from the state that has more vets per capita than any other state in the country—thousands of Vietnam vets—thank you for your service.

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