Interior Alaska News

U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski have introduced a bill to extend the Alaska Native Vietnam-Era Veterans Land Allotment Program for an additional five years. The program, which is set to expire in December 2025, could leave over a thousand eligible veterans and their heirs without land allotments if not extended.

Senator Sullivan remarked on the issue: “While serving their country during the Vietnam War era, many Alaska Native veterans missed the deadline to apply for their legally entitled land allotment—an injustice that we are still working to fix nearly 70 years later.” He noted his efforts since taking office and highlighted the challenges faced during implementation under the Biden administration. Sullivan expressed his intention to work with the Trump administration for successful legislation.

Senator Murkowski emphasized the need for an extension due to slow progress: “With roughly 150 veterans remaining to be notified, and the pace of allotment certifications slower than we hoped it would be, an extension has become necessary—especially as we push to open additional lands closer to where many of these veterans and their families actually live.”

The program was established through a provision in Murkowski’s 2019 lands package, enabling Alaska Native veterans to apply for land ranging from 2.5 to 160 acres on certain Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in Alaska. As of February 13, 2025, BLM Alaska reported receiving 453 applications but completed only 41 certifications. Many eligible veterans have not applied due to unavailable lands near their homes or ancestral areas.