H.R. 43

[119th Congress Public Law 23]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

[[Page 139 STAT. 403]]

Public Law 119-23
119th Congress

An Act

To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that Village 
Corporations shall not be required to convey land in trust to the State 
of Alaska for the establishment of Municipal Corporations, and for other 
purposes. <<NOTE: July 7, 2025 - [H.R. 43]>> 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Alaska Native 
Village Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 43 USC 1601 note.>> SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands 
Restoration Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. REVERSION OF CERTAIN LAND CONVEYED IN TRUST TO THE STATE 
OF ALASKA.

Section 14(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 
1613(c)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and indenting 
appropriately;
(2) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so 
redesignated), by striking ``(c) Each patent'' and inserting the 
following:

``(c) Conveyance of Certain Land by Village Corporation.--
``(1) In general.--Each patent'';
(3) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), in the undesignated 
matter following subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated), in the 
first sentence--
(A) by striking ``section 14(c) of this Act'' and 
inserting ``this subsection''; and
(B) by striking ``There is authorized'' and 
inserting the following:
``(2) Technical assistance.--
``(A) In general.--There are authorized'';
(4) in paragraph (2)(A) (as so redesignated), in the second 
sentence, by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
following:
``(B) Form of funding.--The Secretary''; and
(5) in paragraph (1) (as so designated)--
(A) in each of subparagraphs (A) and (B) (as so 
redesignated)--
(i) by striking ``the'' the first place it 
appears and inserting ``The''; and
(ii) by striking the semicolon at the end and 
inserting a period;
(B) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ``the'' the first place it appears and 
inserting ``The'';

[[Page 139 STAT. 404]]

(C) by striking ``existed as of'' in subparagraph 
(D) (as so redesignated) and all that follows through 
``for'' in subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated) and 
inserting the following: ``existed as of December 18, 
1971.
``(E) For''; and
(D) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated)--
(i) by striking the semicolon at the end and 
inserting a period;
(ii) by striking ``in trust: Provided, 
however, That the word'' and all that follows 
through ``sentence,'' and inserting the following: 
``in trust.
``(II) Definition of sale.--For 
purposes of subclause (I), the term 
`sale' '';
(iii) by striking ``one thousand two hundred 
and eighty acres: Provided further, That any net'' 
and inserting the following: ``1,280 acres.
``(iii) Net revenues.--
``(I) In general.--Any net'';
(iv) by striking ``community needs: Provided, 
That the'' and inserting the following: 
``community needs.
``(ii) Minimum acreage.--The'';
(v) by striking ``(C) the Village 
Corporation'' and inserting the following:
``(C) Conveyance to municipal corporation or the 
state in trust.--
``(i) In general.--The Village Corporation''; 
and
(vi) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) Cases in which conveyance shall not be 
required.--
``(I) In general.--Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this 
subparagraph, if a Village Corporation, 
prior to the date of enactment of the 
Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands 
Restoration Act of 2025, conveyed to the 
State in trust all or a portion of the 
acreage of land required to be conveyed 
under this subparagraph for the 
establishment of a Municipal Corporation 
in the future, and a Municipal 
Corporation has not been established as 
of that date of enactment, on formal 
resolution by the Village Corporation 
and the residents of the Native village 
requesting dissolution of the trust, the 
trust shall be dissolved and title to 
the land shall revert to the Village 
Corporation, subject to subclause (III).
``(II) Additional land.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this subparagraph, as of the date of 
enactment of the Alaska Native Village 
Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025, 
a Village Corporation shall not be 
required to convey any additional land 
in trust under this subparagraph for the 
establishment of a Municipal Corporation 
in the future.
``(III) Requirements.--In accordance 
with subsection (g)--
``(aa) the reversion of land 
to a Village Corporation 
pursuant to subclause (I) shall 
be subject to--

[[Page 139 STAT. 405]]

``(AA) valid existing 
rights created by the 
applicable trust; and
``(BB) any existing 
easements, rights-of-way 
necessary for public roadway 
access, or rights-of-way for 
access of holders of valid 
existing rights; and
``(bb) the Village 
Corporation shall assume the 
obligations of the applicable 
trust with respect to any lease 
or other use agreement 
applicable to the land on 
reversion of the land to the 
Village Corporation pursuant to 
subclause (I).''.

Approved July 7, 2025.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 43:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 171 (2025):
Feb. 4, considered and passed House.
June 18, considered and passed Senate.

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