ANC Hearing Take Two?
By Robert Brodsky
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, wants to provide Alaska Native Corporations with another chance to plead their case for maintaining their contracting preferences - this time with a possibly more receptive audience.
In a letter today to Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-ND, and John Barrasso, R-WY, the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Murkowski called for a hearing this fall on the Native American 8(a) program.
Earlier this month, the Homeland Security and Government Affairs' Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight held a hearing on the rapid growth of ANC contracting.
"The subcommittee on contracting oversight hearing was a hostile environment for the Native Corporations and I believe the Indian Affairs panel would provide a fair and impartial environment for Indian tribes, Native corporations and Native Hawaiians to tell their story," Murkowski said.
Murkowski suggested that any review of the 8(a) program should first be examined by the congressional panels with jurisdiction over the issue, including the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and the Indian Affairs Committee.
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What I find interesting about the issue of reforming Alaska Native Corporation (ANC) firms is the dichotomy of policy under an umbrella of acquisition reform. One only need to look at the Historically Underutilized Business Zone or HUBZone program to see the difference. The Government Accountability Office has criticized the HUBZone program twice in the last two years, focused on corruption and unethical practices, and now has House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez, (D-NY), threatening to shut down the program unless immediate changes are enacted. Similar criticism have been levied at ANCs, but focus on that program has standing room only testimony, armies of lobbyists and special interest groups, and rhetoric to mirror healthcare reform initiatives on both sides of the issue. The only thing I have ever asked is for ANCs to refute the allegations of corruption and unnecessary privileges and special contracting arrangements through factually-based evidence of the so-called benefits to Alaska Natives. I do not believe I have seen any substantive evidence refuting testimony, reports, and analysis that demonstrates the marginal direct impact ANCs firms provide Alaska Natives. Hopefully this information will come out in the “more friendly” confines of the Indian Affairs committee. I agree that an analysis needs to be done to study the impact of any changes or reform of the program. However, ANCs will no doubt stack the deck in their favor with armies of lobbyists to make their case. I hope any review will be thorough and hopefully impartial.
Jaime Gracia Posted Sunday, August 2, 2009 6:46 PM