A bill to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to exclude certain payments to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives or descendants of Alaska Natives from being used to determine eligibility for certain programs, and for other purposes.

1/3/2025, 6:58 PM

Summary of Bill S 623

Bill 118 s 623, also known as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Amendment, aims to make changes to the existing Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The main purpose of this bill is to ensure that certain payments made to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives or their descendants are not counted towards determining eligibility for certain government programs.

Specifically, the bill seeks to exclude these payments from being considered as income when determining eligibility for programs such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and other assistance programs. This change is intended to provide financial relief to Alaska Natives who rely on these payments for their basic needs, without risking their eligibility for essential government assistance.

Overall, the goal of Bill 118 s 623 is to protect the financial security of aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives and their descendants by ensuring that their essential payments are not used against them when applying for government assistance programs.

Congressional Summary of S 623

This bill excludes certain settlement trust payments to an Alaska Native or descendant of an Alaska Native who is aged, blind, or disabled for purposes of determining the individual's eligibility for need-based federal programs (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

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Current Status of Bill S 623

Bill S 623 is currently in the status of Passed in Senate since December 19, 2024. Bill S 623 was introduced during Congress 118 and was introduced to the Senate on March 2, 2023. Bill S 623's most recent activity was Held at the desk. as of December 20, 2024

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 623

Total Number of Sponsors

Democrat Sponsors

Republican Sponsors

Unaffiliated Sponsors

Total Number of Cosponsors

Democrat Cosponsors

Republican Cosponsors

Unaffiliated Cosponsors

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 623

Primary Policy Focus

Native Americans

Potential Impact Areas

- Alaska Natives and Hawaiians

- Disability assistance

- Food assistance and relief

- Indian claims

- Poverty and welfare assistance

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 623

A bill to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to exclude certain payments to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives or descendants of Alaska Natives from being used to determine eligibility for certain programs, and for other purposes.