H. R. 7776—1311 
(b) DUTIES.—Each Tribal Liaison shall make recommendations 
to the applicable District Commander regarding, and be responsible 
for— 
(1) removing barriers to access to, and participation in, 
Corps of Engineers programs for Tribal communities, including 
by improving implementation of section 103(m) of the Water 
Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2213(m)); 
(2) improving outreach to, and engagement with, Tribal 
communities about relevant Corps of Engineers programs and 
services; 
(3) identifying and engaging with Tribal communities suf-
fering from water resources challenges; 
(4) improving, expanding, and facilitating government-to- 
government consultation between Tribal communities and the 
Corps of Engineers; 
(5) coordinating and implementing all relevant Tribal con-
sultation policies and associated guidelines, including the 
requirements of section 112 of the Water Resources Develop-
ment Act of 2020 (33 U.S.C. 2356); 
(6) training and tools to facilitate the ability of Corps 
of Engineers staff to effectively engage with Tribal communities 
in a culturally competent manner, especially in regards to 
lands of ancestral, historic, or cultural significance to a Tribal 
community, including burial sites; and 
(7) such other issues identified by the Secretary. 
(c) UNIFORMITY.—Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize guidelines for— 
(1) a position description for Tribal Liaisons; and 
(2) required qualifications for Tribal Liaisons, including 
experience and expertise relating to Tribal communities and 
water resource issues. 
(d) FUNDING.—Funding for the position of Tribal Liaison shall 
be allocated from the budget line item provided for the expenses 
necessary for the supervision and general administration of the 
civil works program, and filling the position shall not be dependent 
on any increase in this budget line item. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) TRIBAL
COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘Tribal community’’ 
means a community of people who are recognized and defined 
under Federal law as indigenous people of the United States. 
(2) TRIBAL LIAISON.—The term ‘‘Tribal Liaison’’ means a 
permanent employee of a Corps of Engineers district whose 
primary responsibilities are to— 
(A) serve as a direct line of communication between 
the District Commander and the Tribal communities within 
the boundaries of the Corps of Engineers district; and 
(B) ensure consistency in government-to-government 
relations. 
SEC. 8113. TRIBAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) CLARIFICATION OF EXISTING AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary, 
in consultation with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, 
the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of 
Oregon, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama 
Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, and the Confederated Tribes of 
the Umatilla Indian Reservation, shall revise and carry out
H. R. 7776—1312 
the village development plan for The Dalles Dam, Columbia 
River, Washington and Oregon, as authorized by section 204 
of the Flood Control Act of 1950 (chapter 188, 64 Stat. 179), 
to comprehensively address adverse impacts to Indian villages, 
housing sites, and related structures as a result of the construc-
tion of The Dalles Dam, Bonneville Dam, McNary Dam, and 
John Day Dam, Washington and Oregon. 
(2) EXAMINATION.—Before carrying out the requirements 
of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall conduct an examination 
and assessment of the extent to which Indian villages, housing 
sites, and related structures were displaced or destroyed by 
the construction of the following projects: 
(A) Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, Oregon, as 
authorized by the first section of the Act of August 30, 
1935 (chapter 831, 49 Stat. 1038) and the first section 
and section 2(a) of the Act of August 20, 1937 (16 U.S.C. 
832, 832a(a)). 
(B) McNary Dam, Columbia River, Washington and 
Oregon, as authorized by section 2 of the Act of March 
2, 1945 (chapter 19, 59 Stat. 22). 
(C) John Day Dam, Columbia River, Washington and 
Oregon, as authorized by section 204 of the Flood Control 
Act of 1950 (chapter 188, 64 Stat. 179). 
(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The village development plan under 
paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum— 
(A) an evaluation of sites on both sides of the Columbia 
River; 
(B) an assessment of suitable Federal land and land 
owned by the States of Washington and Oregon; and 
(C) an estimated cost and tentative schedule for the 
construction of each housing development. 
(4) LOCATION OF ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may provide 
housing and related assistance under this subsection at 1 or 
more village sites in the States of Washington and Oregon. 
(b) PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE ON FEDERAL LAND.—The Sec-
retary may construct housing or provide related assistance on land 
owned by the United States in carrying out the village development 
plan under subsection (a)(1). 
(c) ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL OF LAND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (d), the Secretary 
may acquire land or interests in land for the purpose of pro-
viding housing and related assistance in carrying out the village 
development plan under subsection (a)(1). 
(2) ADVANCE ACQUISITION.—Acquisition of land or interests 
in land under paragraph (1) may be carried out in advance 
of completion of all required documentation and receipt of all 
required clearances for the construction of housing or related 
improvements on the land. 
(3) DISPOSAL OF UNSUITABLE LAND.—If the Secretary deter-
mines that any land or interest in land acquired by the Sec-
retary under paragraph (2) is unsuitable for that housing or 
for those related improvements, the Secretary may— 
(A) dispose of the land or interest in land by sale; 
and 
(B) credit the proceeds to the appropriation, fund, or 
account used to purchase the land or interest in land.
H. R. 7776—1313 
(d) LIMITATION.—The Secretary shall only acquire land from 
willing landowners in carrying out this section. 
(e) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary may enter into 
a cooperative agreement with a Tribe described in subsection (a)(1), 
or with a Tribal organization of such a Tribe, to provide funds 
to the Tribe to construct housing or provide related assistance 
in carrying out the village development plan under such subsection. 
(f) CONVEYANCE AUTHORIZED.—Upon completion of construction 
at a village site under this section, the Secretary may, without 
consideration, convey the village site and the improvements located 
thereon to a Tribe described in subsection (a)(1), or to a Tribal 
organization of such a Tribe. 
(g) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1178(c) of the Water 
Resources Development Act of 2016 (130 Stat. 1675; 132 Stat. 
3781) is repealed. 
SEC. 8114. COST SHARING PROVISIONS FOR THE TERRITORIES AND 
INDIAN TRIBES. 
Section 1156 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 
(33 U.S.C. 2310) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’ ; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) for any organization that— 
‘‘(A) is composed primarily of people who are— 
‘‘(i) recognized and defined under Federal law as 
indigenous people of the United States; and 
‘‘(ii) from a specific community; and 
‘‘(B) assists in the social, cultural, and educational 
development of such people in that community.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) INCLUSION.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘study’ 
includes a watershed assessment. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.—The Secretary shall apply the waiver 
amount described in subsection (a) to reduce only the non-Federal 
share of study and project costs.’’. 
SEC. 8115. TRIBAL AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMU-
NITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a committee, 
to be known as the ‘‘Tribal and Economically Disadvantaged 
Communities Advisory Committee’’, to develop and make rec-
ommendations to the Secretary and the Chief of Engineers on 
activities and actions that should be undertaken by the Corps 
of Engineers to ensure more effective delivery of water resources 
development projects, programs, and other assistance to Indian 
Tribes and economically disadvantaged communities, including 
economically disadvantaged communities located in urban and rural 
areas. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be composed of mem-
bers, appointed by the Secretary, who have the requisite experien-
tial or technical knowledge needed to address issues related to 
the water resources needs and challenges of economically disadvan-
taged communities and Indian Tribes, including—
H. R. 7776—1314 
(1) 5 individuals representing organizations with expertise 
in environmental policy, rural water resources, economically 
disadvantaged communities, Tribal rights, or civil rights; and 
(2) 5 individuals, each representing a non-Federal interest 
for a Corps of Engineers project. 
(c) DUTIES.— 
(1) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Committee shall provide 
advice and make recommendations to the Secretary and the 
Chief of Engineers to assist the Corps of Engineers in— 
(A) efficiently and effectively delivering solutions to 
the needs and challenges of water resources development 
projects for economically disadvantaged communities and 
Indian Tribes; 
(B) integrating consideration of economically disadvan-
taged communities and Indian Tribes, where applicable, 
in the development of water resources development projects 
and programs of the Corps of Engineers; and 
(C) improving the capability and capacity of the 
workforce of the Corps of Engineers to assist economically 
disadvantaged communities and Indian Tribes. 
(2) MEETINGS.—The Committee shall meet as appropriate 
to develop and make recommendations under paragraph (1). 
(3) REPORT.—Recommendations made under paragraph (1) 
shall be— 
(A) included in a report submitted to the Committee 
on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(B) made publicly available, including on a publicly 
available website. 
(d) INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT.—Any recommendation made by 
the Committee to the Secretary and the Chief of Engineers under 
subsection (c)(1) shall reflect the independent judgment of the Com-
mittee. 
(e) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) COMPENSATION.—Except as provided in paragraph (3), 
the members of the Committee shall serve without compensa-
tion. 
(2) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—The members of the Committee 
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under 
subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. 
(3) TREATMENT.—The members of the Committee shall not 
be considered to be Federal employees, and the meetings and 
reports of the Committee shall not be considered a major Fed-
eral action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Committee’’ means the Tribal 
and Economically Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Com-
mittee established under subsection (a). 
(2) ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘‘economically disadvantaged community’’ has the meaning 
given the term as defined by the Secretary under section 160 
of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (33 U.S.C. 
2201 note).