A rider that would have limited sole-source contracting to tribes, Alaska Native corporations and Native Hawaiian organizations was removed from a defense bill, The Anchorage Daily News reports.

The Native American Contractors Association lobbied against the provision, which was the work of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California). He has used his position as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to criticize the Native contracting program.

Alaska Republicans Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young have been fighting the efforts and are being joined by lawmakers of both parties who see the value of Native contracting, said Young. "They are waking up now," Young told the paper.

"This is the latest episode. We're hoping we're going to tire him out eventually," Karen Atkinson, the executive director of NACA said of Waxman's efforts.

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Stevens, Young defend contracts for Native corporations (The Anchorage Daily News 10/2)
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