[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 194 (Wednesday, November 29, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7497-S7498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COLUMBIA RIVER IN-LIEU AND TREATY FISHING ACCESS SITES IMPROVEMENT ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 193, S. 669.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 669) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
     to assess sanitation and safety conditions at Bureau of 
     Indian Affairs facilities that were constructed to provide 
     affected Columbia River Treaty tribes access to traditional 
     fishing grounds and expend funds on construction of 
     facilities and structures to improve those conditions, and 
     for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Hoeven 
amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be considered 
read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1638) was agreed to, as follows

(Purpose: To authorize a study of the program to assess sanitation and 
  safety conditions at Bureau of Indian Affairs facilities that were 
constructed to provide affected Columbia River Treaty tribes access to 
       traditional fishing grounds and make related improvements)

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. 3. STUDY OF ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES.

       The Comptroller General of the United States, in 
     consultation with the Committee on Indian Affairs of the 
     Senate, shall--
       (1) conduct a study to evaluate whether the sanitation and 
     safety conditions on lands held by the United States for the 
     benefit of the affected Columbia River Treaty tribes (as 
     defined in section 2) have improved as a result of the 
     activities authorized in section 2; and
       (2) prepare and submit to the Committee on Indian Affairs 
     of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
     House of Representatives a report containing the results of 
     that study.

  The bill (S. 669), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 669

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Columbia River In-Lieu and 
     Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act''.

     SEC. 2. SANITATION AND SAFETY CONDITIONS AT CERTAIN BUREAU OF 
                   INDIAN AFFAIRS FACILITIES.

       (a) Assessment of Conditions.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in 
     consultation with the affected Columbia River Treaty tribes, 
     may assess current sanitation and safety conditions on lands 
     held by the United States for the benefit of the affected 
     Columbia River Treaty tribes, including all permanent Federal 
     structures and improvements on those lands, that were set 
     aside to provide affected Columbia River Treaty tribes access 
     to traditional fishing grounds--
       (1) in accordance with the Act of March 2, 1945 (59 Stat. 
     10, chapter 19) (commonly known as the ``River and Harbor Act 
     of 1945''); or
       (2) in accordance with title IV of Public Law 100-581 (102 
     Stat. 2944).

[[Page S7498]]

       (b) Exclusive Authorization; Contracts.--The Secretary of 
     the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs--
       (1) subject to paragraph (2)(B), shall be the only Federal 
     agency authorized to carry out the activities described in 
     this section; and
       (2) may delegate the authority to carry out activities 
     described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c)--
       (A) through one or more contracts entered into with an 
     Indian tribe or tribal organization under the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et 
     seq.); or
       (B) to include other Federal agencies that have relevant 
     expertise.
       (c) Definition of Affected Columbia River Treaty Tribes.--
     In this section, the term ``affected Columbia River Treaty 
     tribes'' means the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes 
     of Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of 
     the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and the Confederated 
     Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior such sums 
     as are necessary, to remain available until expended--
       (1) for improvements to existing structures and 
     infrastructure to improve sanitation and safety conditions 
     assessed under subsection (a); and
       (2) to improve access to electricity, sewer, and water 
     infrastructure, where feasible, to reflect needs for sanitary 
     and safe use of facilities referred to in subsection (a).

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