
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC2991a]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
                CHAPTER 34--ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM
 
                SUBCHAPTER VIII--NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMS
 
Sec. 2991a. Congressional statement of purpose

    The purpose of this subchapter is to promote the goal of economic 
and social self-sufficiency for American Indians, Native Hawaiians, 
other Native American Pacific Islanders (including American Samoan 
Natives), and Alaska Natives.

(Pub. L. 88-452, title VIII, Sec. 802, as added Pub. L. 93-644, Sec. 11, 
Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2324; amended Pub. L. 100-175, title V, 
Secs. 504(b)(1), 506(c)(1), Nov. 29, 1987, 101 Stat. 975, 978; Pub. L. 
102-375, title VIII, Sec. 822(21), Sept. 30, 1992, 106 Stat. 1300; Pub. 
L. 103-171, Sec. 5(1), Dec. 2, 1993, 107 Stat. 1991.)


                            Prior Provisions

    A prior section 2991a, Pub. L. 88-452, title VIII, Sec. 802, as 
added Pub. L. 89-794, title VIII, Sec. 801, Nov. 8, 1966, 80 Stat. 1473, 
covered recruitment, selection, training, referral, and assignment of 
volunteers and consent of Governors of States in which these activities 
were conducted, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by 
Pub. L. 90-222, title I, Sec. 110, Dec. 23, 1967, 81 Stat. 722.


                               Amendments

    1993--Pub. L. 103-171 substituted ``Alaska'' for ``Alaskan''.
    1992--Pub. L. 102-375, which directed the substitution of ``Alaska 
Native'' for ``Alaskan Native'', could not be executed because the words 
``Alaskan Native'' did not appear.
    1987--Pub. L. 100-175, Sec. 506(c)(1), substituted ``Native 
Hawaiians'' for ``Hawaiian Natives''.
    Pub. L. 100-175, Sec. 504(b)(1), inserted ``, other Native American 
Pacific Islanders (including American Samoan Natives),'' after 
``Hawaiian Natives''.


                    Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

    Amendment by section 504(b)(1) of Pub. L. 100-175 effective Oct. 1, 
1987, and amendment by section 506(c)(1) of Pub. L. 100-175 effective 
upon expiration of 90-day period beginning Nov. 29, 1987, see section 
701(a), (c) of Pub. L. 100-175, set out as a note under section 3001 of 
this title.


    Alaska Federation of Natives' Study and Report With Proposals To 
         Implement Recommendations of Alaska Natives Commission

    Pub. L. 104-270, Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3301, provided that:
``SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY.
    ``The Congress finds and declares the following:
        ``(1) The Joint Federal-State Commission on Policies and 
    Programs Affecting Alaska Natives (hereafter in this Act referred to 
    as the `Alaska Natives Commission') was established by Public Law 
    101-379 (42 U.S.C. 2991a note) following the publication in 1989 of 
    the `Report on the Status of Alaska Natives: A Call for Action' by 
    the Alaska Federation of Natives and after extensive congressional 
    hearings which focused on the need for the first comprehensive 
    assessment of the social, cultural, and economic condition of 
    Alaska's 86,000 Natives since the enactment of the Alaska Native 
    Claims Settlement Act, Public Law 92-203 [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.].
        ``(2) The 14-member Alaska Natives Commission held 15 regional 
    hearings throughout Alaska between July 1992 and October 1993, and 2 
    statewide hearings in Anchorage coinciding with the Conventions of 
    1992 and 1993 of the Alaska Federation of Natives. In May 1994, the 
    Alaska Natives Commission issued its 3 volume, 440 page report. As 
    required by Public Law 101-379, the report was formally conveyed to 
    the Congress, the President of the United States, and the Governor 
    of Alaska.
        ``(3) The Alaska Natives Commission found that many Alaska 
    Native individuals, families, and communities were experiencing a 
    social, cultural, and economic crisis marked by rampant 
    unemployment, lack of economic opportunity, alcohol abuse, 
    depression, and morbidity and mortality rates that have been 
    described by health care professionals as `staggering'.
        ``(4) The Alaska Natives Commission found that due to the high 
    rate of unemployment and lack of economic opportunities for Alaska 
    Natives, government programs for the poor have become the foundation 
    of many village economies. Displacing traditional Alaska Native 
    social safety nets, these well-meaning programs have undermined the 
    healthy interdependence and self-sufficiency of Native tribes and 
    families and have put Native tribes and families at risk of becoming 
    permanent dependencies of Government.
        ``(5) Despite these seemingly insurmountable problems, the 
    Alaska Natives Commission found that Alaska Natives, building on the 
    Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, had begun a unique process of 
    critical self-examination which, if supported by the United States 
    Congress through innovative legislation, and effective public 
    administration at all levels including traditional Native 
    governance, could provide the basis for an Alaska Native social, 
    cultural, economic, and spiritual renewal.
        ``(6) The Alaska Natives Commission recognized that the key to 
    the future well-being of Alaska Natives lay in--
            ``(A) the systematic resumption of responsibility by Alaska 
        Natives for the well-being of their members,
            ``(B) the strengthening of their economies,
            ``(C) the strengthening, operation, and control of their 
        systems of governance, social services, education, health care, 
        and law enforcement, and
            ``(D) exercising rights they have from their special 
        relationship with the Federal Government and as citizens of the 
        United States and Alaska.
        ``(7) The Alaska Natives Commission recognized that the 
    following 3 basic principles must be respected in addressing the 
    myriad of problems facing Alaska Natives:
            ``(A) Self-reliance.
            ``(B) Self-determination.
            ``(C) Integrity of Native cultures.
        ``(8) There is a need to address the problems confronting Alaska 
    Natives. This should be done rapidly, with certainty, and in 
    conformity with the real economic, social, and cultural needs of 
    Alaska Natives.
        ``(9) Congress retains and has exercised its constitutional 
    authority over Native affairs in Alaska subsequent to the Treaty of 
    Cession and does so now through this Act.
``SEC. 2. ALASKA NATIVE IMPLEMENTATION STUDY.
    ``(a) Findings.--The Congress finds and declares that--
        ``(1) the Alaska Natives Commission adopted certain 
    recommendations raising important policy questions which are 
    unresolved in Alaska and which require further study and review 
    before Congress considers legislation to implement solutions to 
    address these recommendations; and
        ``(2) the Alaska Federation of Natives is the representative 
    body of statewide Alaska Native interests best suited to further 
    investigate and report to Congress with proposals to implement the 
    recommendations of the Alaska Natives Commission.
    ``(b) Grant.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make 
a grant to the Alaska Federation of Natives to conduct the study and 
submit the report required by this section. Such grant may only be made 
if the Alaska Federation of Natives agrees to abide by the requirements 
of this section.
    ``(c) Study.--Pursuant to subsection (b), the Alaska Federation of 
Natives shall--
        ``(1) examine the recommendations of the Alaska Natives 
    Commission;
        ``(2) examine initiatives in the United States, Canada, and 
    elsewhere for successful ways that issues similar to the issues 
    addressed by the Alaska Natives Commission have been addressed;
        ``(3) conduct hearings within the Alaska Native community on 
    further ways in which the Commission's recommendations might be 
    implemented; and
        ``(4) recommend enactment of specific provisions of law and 
    other actions the Congress should take to implement such 
    recommendations.
    ``(d) Consideration of Local Control.--In developing its 
recommendations pursuant to subsection (c)(4), the Alaska Federation of 
Natives shall give specific attention to the ways in which the 
recommendations may be achieved at the local level with maximum local 
control of the implementation of the recommendations.
    ``(e) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date on which the 
grant is made under subsection (b), the Alaska Federation of Natives 
shall submit a report on the study conducted under this section, 
together with the recommendations developed pursuant to subsection 
(c)(4), to the President and the Congress and to the Governor and 
legislature of the State of Alaska. In addition, the Alaska Federation 
of Natives shall make the report available to Alaska Native villages and 
organizations and to the general public.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $350,000 for the grant under subsection (b).
    ``(g) Additional State Funding.--The Congress encourages the State 
of Alaska to provide the additional funding necessary for the completion 
of the study under this section.''


                        Alaska Natives Commission

    Pub. L. 101-379, Sec. 12, Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 478, established 
a Joint Federal-State Commission on Policies and Programs Affecting 
Alaska Natives to conduct a comprehensive review of Federal and State 
policies and programs affecting Alaska Natives in order to identify 
specific actions that could be taken to help assure that public policy 
goals were more fully realized among Alaska Natives, further provided 
for membership, meetings, and other administrative affairs of the 
Commission, as well as specific powers and duties, further directed the 
Commission to submit, by no later than 18 months after its first 
meeting, a report with recommendations to the President, the Congress, 
the Governor of Alaska, and the legislature of the State of Alaska, and 
further provided for funding as well as termination of the Commission 
180 days after the date of submission of its report.


                    Native Hawaiians Study Commission

    Pub. L. 96-565, title III, Secs. 301-307, Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 
3324-3326, known as the Native Hawaiians Study Commission Act, 
established the Native Hawaiians Study Commission to study the culture, 
needs, and concerns of Native Hawaiians, and to issue a report and make 
recommendations to Congress. The Commission was required to have its 
first meeting not less than 90-days after Dec. 22, 1980, produce a draft 
report no later than 1 year after its first meeting and a final report 
no later than 9 months later. The Commission ceased to exist upon the 
expiration of the 60-day period following the submission of its final 
report.
