[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 203 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H10301-H10302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




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

  Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 50) 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 50

       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).
       (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 (d)--
       (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 
     $11,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2025, 
     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).

     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(c)) 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 SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New Mexico (Ms. Haaland) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Westerman) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.

                              {time}  1730


                             General Leave

  Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 50 authorizes the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the BIA, 
to assess sanitation and safety conditions on lands that were set aside 
to provide

[[Page H10302]]

Columbia River Treaty Tribes access to their traditional fishing 
grounds. The bill also authorizes the BIA to enter into contracts with 
Tribes or Tribal organizations to improve the conditions at those 
sites.
  The Columbia River Treaty Tribes, through a series of treaties in 
1855, established their continued access to traditional fishing grounds 
and to certain fishing facilities on the Columbia River. However, 
starting in the 1930s, construction of the dams of the Columbia River 
power system resulted in the flooding and destruction of Tribal 
villages, homes, and traditional fishing sites, severely impacting the 
ability of the Tribes to exercise their treaty rights.
  The Tribes and their citizens have never been fully compensated for 
these losses.
  Starting in 1939, the Federal Government acquired and developed small 
parcels of land to serve as in-lieu and treaty fishing access sites, 
providing members of the Columbia River Treaty Tribes access and a way 
to exercise their rights to fish in the Columbia River and to reside at 
their traditional fishing places and stations.
  Congress also enacted the Columbia River Treaty Fishing Access Sites 
project in 1988, which authorized improvements for certain fishing 
facilities and directed the Army Corps of Engineers to acquire new 
lands to provide unencumbered river access for Tribal members.
  Today, there are 31 Tribal fishing sites located along the Columbia 
River, 27 of which are managed by the BIA. The sites were intended to 
be used primarily for in-season fishing and some temporary camping. 
However, out of both a need for housing and a desire to be closer to 
their own traditional fishing areas, many Tribal members now use these 
areas as permanent residences.
  These sites were not designed for and cannot sustainably accommodate 
this use. In fact, many people at these sites are living in extremely 
distressed, unsafe, and unsanitary conditions as a direct result of 
decades of unmet obligations by the BIA.
  S. 50 will allow much-needed improvements to the conditions at these 
sites.
  I thank Senator Merkley for his work on moving this bill through the 
Senate. I also thank our colleague from Oregon, Representative 
Blumenauer, for being the champion in the House on this issue and for 
tirelessly advocating for the Columbia River Treaty Tribes.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge quick adoption of this legislation, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill will help ensure that certain Columbia River 
Tribes have meaningful access to usual and accustomed fishing areas and 
related fishing facilities as established by treaty.
  Due to the construction of dams in the 1930s and 1950s along the 
Columbia River, the lands of these Tribes were flooded. Congress 
authorized the Federal Government to acquire and replace lost Tribal 
fishing areas along the river, including the construction of 
improvements. However, in recent years, there have been continued 
reports that the conditions at these fishing sites have deteriorated 
significantly.
  S. 50 directs the Department of the Interior to assess current 
sanitation and safety conditions on lands that were set aside to 
provide affected Columbia River Treaty Tribes access to traditional 
fishing grounds. The Bureau of Indian Affairs would also be authorized 
to execute improvements at the sites in coordination with the four 
Tribes that the sites serve.
  While this legislation is intended to address safety and basic 
maintenance needs, it is not the intent of Congress for these fishing 
sites to become permanent residences but to continue their existing 
purpose as traditional fishing access sites.
  With this caveat, we see no issues with this bill that was favorably 
reported by unanimous consent by the Committee on Natural Resources 
last Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Haaland) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 50.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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