PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

S. 669: Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

S. 669: Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-03-21 · Native Americans · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 825.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-03-21 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 825. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act

Plain summary

Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act (Sec. 2) This bill authorizes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to assess sanitation and safety conditions on land set aside to provide Columbia River Treaty tribes access to traditional fishing grounds. The bill applies to land held by the United States for the benefit of 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. The BIA may enter into contracts with tribes or tribal organizations to improve sanitation, safety conditions, and access to electricity, sewer, and water infrastructure on this land. (Sec. 3) The Government Accountability Office must evaluate whether the sanitation and safety conditions on the lands have improved as a result of the contracts and report on the results of the evaluation.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 669, Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act (2017-07-07); CBO cost estimate: S. 669, Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act (2018-11-30)

Cosponsors on this site

Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-s669 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115