Bill > HJR44

This Joint Resolution expresses the Alaska State Legislature's strong support for allowing Alaska Native corporations and businesses owned by federally recognized tribes to continue participating in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development Program. Established to help socially and economically disadvantaged businesses win federal contracts, this program has historically enabled Alaska Native entities to drive economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and fund vital community services like health care, education, and cultural preservation through revenues reinvested in the state. Rooted in the historical context of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act—which resolved aboriginal land claims and created these corporations to promote economic self-sufficiency—the resolution formally urges the President, Congress, and federal agencies to protect these businesses from proposed restrictions and to fully preserve their eligibility for the program.