Discussion · Senate
Lisa Murkowski Republican
“I want the Senate to pass this bill today. It gives about 3.5 acres of federal land in Anchorage to an Alaska Native health group. They run a mental health program there and need to own the land so they can pay to replace an old building.”
“Mr. President, I have come to the floor this afternoon to seek unanimous consent to pass a bill. This is called the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act. I know that oftentimes, Members come the floor and say: Oh, it is not controversial at all. Let me tell you, this one is pretty straightforward, and it is truly a noncontroversial provision. Senator Sullivan and I have introduced this in the Senate. Congressman Begich is leading the companion legislation in the House. We are seeking to send this bill to the President’s desk before recess because it has become time-sensitive. It is pretty simple. It would convey approximately 3.5 acres--3.5 acres--of Federal land in Anchorage. This is land that is currently owned by the Indian Health Service, and it would be conveyed from IHS to the Southcentral Foundation. The Southcentral Foundation is an Alaskan Native Tribal health organization that provides healthcare services to IHS beneficiaries under a self-governance compact. The Southcentral Foundation has built something pretty special on this property. They call it the Quyana Clubhouse. This is where Alaska Native people can find support, find connection and a path forward when they are dealing with mental health challenges. The program serves adults that are over 21 who are experiencing severe and persistent mental health issues through case management, therapy sessions, health education, tobacco cessation, life skills training--all while integrating Alaska Native culture. Given its success, Southcentral Foundation plans to expand the building as well as the services they provide as they work to support intensive levels of outpatient programming. Right now, Southcentral Foundation is providing these services in one of the oldest buildings in the IHS inventory in Alaska. They were really never intended to provide this kind of patient care. In fact, one of the rooms that is now still being used was once a morgue. So it has been around for a while. As I noted, we are here because this straightforward land transfer has become time-sensitive. Without ownership of the parcel, Southcentral Foundation cannot finance and construct capital improvements and permanent facilities and, in turn, do more to address mental health in Alaska. So this legislation will give Southcentral Foundation the certainty it needs to keep investing in places like Quyana and continue providing these services for the long term. This is a House-passed bill. It can go directly to the President and be signed into law. I would hope that we would agree to do that today because there are no substantive objections to it. Both the House and Senate have had hearings on their prospective versions. Both have been marked up and reported favorably by unanimous consent on the Committee on Indian Affairs. So, really, there is no reason to hold the bill up. We can add to our record of bipartisan legislating at scale. We can address an issue that is important to Alaska Native health and uphold the Federal trust responsibility by passing the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act.”
Mr. President, I have come to the floor this afternoon to seek unanimous consent to pass a bill. This is called the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act. I know that oftentimes, Members come the floor and say: Oh, it is not controversial at all. Let me tell you, this one is pretty straightforward, and it is truly a noncontroversial provision. Senator Sullivan and I have introduced this in the Senate. Congressman Begich is leading the companion legislation in the House. We are seeking to send this bill to the President’s desk before recess because it has become time-sensitive. It is pretty simple. It would convey approximately 3.5 acres--3.5 acres--of Federal land in Anchorage. This is land that is currently owned by the Indian Health Service, and it would be conveyed from IHS to the Southcentral Foundation. The Southcentral Foundation is an Alaskan Native Tribal health organization that provides healthcare services to IHS beneficiaries under a self-governance compact. The Southcentral Foundation has built something pretty special on this property. They call it the Quyana Clubhouse. This is where Alaska Native people can find support, find connection and a path forward when they are dealing with mental health challenges. The program serves adults that are over 21 who are experiencing severe and persistent mental health issues through case management, therapy sessions, health education, tobacco cessation, life skills training--all while integrating Alaska Native culture. Given its success, Southcentral Foundation plans to expand the building as well as the services they provide as they work to support intensive levels of outpatient programming. Right now, Southcentral Foundation is providing these services in one of the oldest buildings in the IHS inventory in Alaska. They were really never intended to provide this kind of patient care. In fact, one of the rooms that is now still being used was once a morgue. So it has been around for a while. As I noted, we are here because this straightforward land transfer has become time-sensitive. Without ownership of the parcel, Southcentral Foundation cannot finance and construct capital improvements and permanent facilities and, in turn, do more to address mental health in Alaska. So this legislation will give Southcentral Foundation the certainty it needs to keep investing in places like Quyana and continue providing these services for the long term. This is a House-passed bill. It can go directly to the President and be signed into law. I would hope that we would agree to do that today because there are no substantive objections to it. Both the House and Senate have had hearings on their prospective versions. Both have been marked up and reported favorably by unanimous consent on the Committee on Indian Affairs. So, really, there is no reason to hold the bill up. We can add to our record of bipartisan legislating at scale. We can address an issue that is important to Alaska Native health and uphold the Federal trust responsibility by passing the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act.