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[Page S4649]
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. 38, S. 50.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A 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.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the Hoeven amendment at
the desk be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be considered read
a third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 904) was agreed to, as follows:
(Purpose: To amend the authorization amount)
On page 3, line 23, strike ``such sums as are necessary''
and insert ``$11,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2020
through 2025''.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read
the third time.
Mr. McCONNELL. I know of no further debate on the bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no further debate, the bill having
been read the third time, the question is, Shall the bill pass?
The bill (S. 50), as amended, was passed 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.
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider
be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
