Bill > SJR26

This resolution, a concurrent resolution from the Alaska State Legislature, strongly supports the continued ability of Alaska Native corporations and entities owned by federally recognized tribes in Alaska to participate in the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program. The 8(a) program is a federal initiative designed to help socially and economically disadvantaged businesses gain access to federal contracts. The resolution highlights that these Alaska Native entities are legally eligible for the program due to the federal government's trust responsibility towards Alaska Natives and the unique historical context of federal law concerning them. It emphasizes that participation in the 8(a) program has created thousands of jobs, boosted the state's economy by reinvesting revenue into local communities, and fostered entrepreneurship. The resolution urges the President, Congress, and the SBA to protect and fully utilize this program for Alaska Native corporations and tribal entities, opposing any efforts to weaken or eliminate its specific provisions for them, and affirms support for Alaska Native self-determination and the federal trust responsibility.