III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 463 

Honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Billy Frank, Jr., and 

expressing condolences on his passing. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2014 

Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Ms. CANTWELL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JUNE 4, 2014 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Billy 

Frank, Jr., and expressing condolences on his passing. 

Whereas in the 1850s, the United States Government signed 

a series of treaties with Washington State tribes under 

which the tribes granted millions of acres of land to the 

United States in exchange for the establishment of reservations and the recognition of traditional hunting and 

fishing rights; 

Whereas Billy Frank, Jr., was born to Willie Frank, Sr., and 

Angeline Frank on March 9, 1931, at Frank’s Landing 

on the banks of the Nisqually River in Washington State; 

Whereas the tireless efforts and dedication of Billy Frank, 

Jr., led to a historic legal victory that ensured that the 


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United States would honor promises made in treaties 

with the Washington tribes; 

Whereas Billy Frank, Jr., was first arrested in December of 

1945, at the age of 14, for fishing for salmon in the 

Nisqually River; 

Whereas Billy Frank, Jr., was subsequently arrested more 

than 50 times for exercising his treaty-protected right to 

fish for salmon; 

Whereas over the years, Billy Frank, Jr., and other tribal 

members staged ‘‘fish-ins’’ that often placed the 

protestors in danger of being arrested or attacked; 

Whereas during these fish-ins, Billy Frank, Jr., and others 

demanded that they be allowed to fish in historically tribal waters, a right the Nisqually had reserved in the Treaty of Medicine Creek; 

Whereas declining salmon runs in Washington waters resulted in increased arrests of tribal members exercising 

their fishing rights under the Treaty; 

Whereas, on February 12, 1974, in the case of United States 

v. Washington, Judge George Hugo Boldt of the United 

States District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a decision that affirmed the right of Washington treaty tribes to take up to half of the harvestable 

fish in tribal fishing waters and reaffirmed that the 

United States must honor treaties made with Native 

American tribes; 

Whereas the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Boldt decision, and the treaty tribes became co-managers of the 

salmon resource in the State of Washington; 


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Whereas after the Boldt decision, Billy Frank, Jr., continued 

his fight to protect natural resources, salmon, and a 

healthy environment; 

Whereas the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, where 

Billy Frank, Jr., served as chairman, works to establish 

working relationships with State agencies and non-Indian 

groups to manage fisheries, restore and protect habitats, 

and protect tribal treaty rights; 

Whereas Billy Frank, Jr., refused to be bitter in the face of 

jail, racism, and abuse, and his influence was felt not just 

in Washington State but around the world; 

Whereas Billy Frank, Jr., was awarded the Albert Schweitzer 

Prize for Humanitarianism, the Common Cause Award 

for Human Rights Efforts, the American Indian Distinguished Service Award, the Washington State Environmental Excellence Award, and the Wallace Stegner 

Award for his years of service and dedication to his battle; 

Whereas the legacy of Billy Frank, Jr., will live on in stories, 

in memories, and every time a tribal member exercises 

his or her right to harvest salmon in Washington State; 

and 

Whereas the legacy of Billy Frank, Jr., transcends his 83 

years and will provide inspiration to those still around 

today and those still to come: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) honors the life, legacy, and many accom3 plishments of Billy Frank, Jr.; and 

4 (2) extends its heartfelt sympathies and condo5 lences to the family of Billy Frank, Jr., the 


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1 Nisqually Tribe, all Native Americans, and all people 

2 around the world who were inspired by his example. 

Æ 


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