That's funny. I'm from Oklahoma so I'm quite familiar with the tribes there. Alaska, I'm not. But, from what I've read and seen, the tribes in Alaska want to be self supporting and don't want the government butting into their affairs, as has happened in the lower 48.
The entire indian situation in American is a disgrace, IMHO, and pandering further to extend dependency on the federal government is not a good plan in any shape or form. This is a disaster waiting to happen and it's going to boil over someday when a solution won't be as easy as it would be had it been addressed earlier.
Typically, the Democrats are positioning themselves for short-term political gain without thinking through their consequences or doing what's best for the country.