S 3617 United States Senate · 118th Congress

Cape Fox Land Entitlement Finalization Act of 2024

The Cape Fox Land Entitlement Finalization Act of 2024 finalizes land entitlement for the Cape Fox Village Corporation (representing the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska) by enabling them to select and receive approximately 180 acres of Federal land in the Tongass National Forest. It waives a requirement forcing Cape Fox to select land within a specific township, which was previously blocked by a 6-mile restriction from Ketchikan, Alaska. The Secretary of the Interior must convey the surface land to Cape Fox and the subsurface estate to Sealaska Corporation within 180 days of a selection notice. This resolves a unique situation where Cape Fox could not complete its land selection under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act due to historical restrictions.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2024

Committee Review

Nov 2024

Senate Passage

Dec 2024

House Passage

President

Introduced Jan 18, 2024 Last action Dec 20, 2024

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in Senate → Engrossed in Senate · 2 edits · Dec 19, 2024

MINOR

The Engrossed Senate version removes the entire findings section that provided background justification for the legislation, and adds a new requirement that the land conveyed to Cape Fox be subject to a public access easement allowing passage to National Forest System land on Revillagigedo Island. The operative provisions of the bill (waiving the core township requirement and permitting selection outside the exterior boundary) remain unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope is essentially unchanged in terms of what it authorizes (waiver of core township requirement and selection outside the exterior boundary), but a new condition was added: the conveyed land must carry a public access easement, which imposes an ongoing obligation on Cape Fox regarding use of the property.

TECHNICAL

The entire Section 2 (Findings) was removed. This section contained eight paragraphs explaining why Cape Fox was uniquely affected by the 6-mile restriction near Ketchikan and how that limited their land selections under ANCSA. The findings were explanatory and did not create legal obligations.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 5 requires that the conveyance of Federal land to Cape Fox be subject to a public easement under section 17(b) of ANCSA, ensuring continued public access to National Forest System land further inland on Revillagigedo Island from George Inlet.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Dec 19, 2024

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7218; text: CR S7219--7220)

upper

Dec 19, 2024

Upper · Passed

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

upper

Nov 21, 2024

Upper · Passed

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

upper

Nov 19, 2024

Upper · Passed

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

upper

Jun 12, 2024

Upper · Passed

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 118-394.

upper

Jan 18, 2024

Committee

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

upper

Jan 18, 2024

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor