To make additional Federal public land available for selection under the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · February 26, 2024
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
This bill extends and expands the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program, which provides federal land to eligible Alaska Native veterans who served during the Vietnam War. The bill doubles the time period for veterans to make their land selections from five years to ten years, giving eligible individuals more time to claim their benefits. Additionally, the legislation makes more federal land available for selection by allowing the Secretary of Agriculture to identify suitable lands within the National Forest System in Alaska, which were previously unavailable under the program. The Agriculture Department has one year from the bill's enactment to identify appropriate forest lands in consultation with state and local groups, while excluding lands that would harm wildlife, recreation, subsistence, scenic values, or interfere with forest management plans. This change aims to fulfill the original intent of the program by providing additional opportunities for Alaska Native Vietnam veterans to claim their promised land benefits.
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