Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) won't give up his fight to streamline funding for Alaska Natives despite a General Accountability Office report indicating that tribes and villages are using funds efficiently.

Stevens has sought to consolidate tribal and village funding into regional entities. But the GAO report found that tribes and villages build housing more cheaply than regional non-profits. At the same time, the GAO said the cost of rehabilitating homes was higher for villages than for regional entities.

In response, a spokesperson for Stevens said the report didn't go far enough in looking at how Alaska Natives spend money. Stevens will continue to advocate for efficiency, the spokesperson said.

Get the Story:
Stevens to continue efforts to streamline Native funding (The Anchorage Daily News 9/14)
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GAO Report -- Alaska Native Villages: Recent Federal Assistance Exceeded $3 Billion, with Most Provided to Regional Nonprofits:
Abstract | Highlights | Full Report

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