What Happened?

Two bills that could shift control of land and money from the federal government to tribal communities in Alaska and Washington state get their first public hearing Sept. 17, when a House panel takes them up.

The House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will examine both measures. The first, the Helping Our People Act of 2026, would update a 1989 federal law governing the Puyallup Tribe's relationship with the U.S. government and return control of the tribe's Permanent Trust Fund to the tribe itself. The second, the Geese House Site Conveyance Act, would transfer a parcel of land inside Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska to Doyon, Limited, an Alaska Native corporation.

Why Does it Matter to Me?

For members of the Puyallup Tribe in Washington state, the Helping Our People Act could mean direct tribal control over a trust fund that has been managed under rules set more than three decades ago. The bill's sponsors argue that the tribe should have authority over its own financial resources.

For Alaska Natives connected to Doyon, Limited, the Geese House Site Conveyance Act would transfer land in a remote corner of Denali that was folded into the national park's boundary in 1980 under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. That land is currently managed by the National Park Service.

Both Sides, Now

Rep. Emily Randall (D-WA) introduced the Helping Our People Act with backing from Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), and Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA). Their press materials frame the bill as restoring self-determination to the Puyallup Tribe by modernizing an outdated settlement law.

The Geese House Site Conveyance Act was introduced without cosponsors in the House, though Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has introduced a companion bill in the Senate. The source material does not include on-record opposition to either bill.

What Happens Next?

The Sept. 17 subcommittee hearing is the first formal step for both bills. A hearing lets members question sponsors and witnesses, but it does not advance a bill to a vote. After the hearing, the subcommittee could hold a markup, where members debate and amend the text, before sending it to the full House Natural Resources Committee. From there, the full House and Senate would each need to pass the bills before they could go to the president. No markup or floor vote is scheduled for either measure.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article