Senate passes bill to itemize Interior facility repairs

The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would allow Congress to see what major repairs are needed on federally owned facilities.

S. 1800, the Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act, passed through a unanimous consent agreement. It directs the secretary of the Interior to biennially report to Congress on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage all Reclamation facilities. The report would also need to detail any major repairs needed at facilities.

{mosads}The bill now heads to the House for further action, but because House members have already left town for the year, it would have to be passed during a pro forma session.

The Senate passed several other housekeeping measures before adjourning for the year. A list and description follows:

– H.R. 3608, the Grand Portage Band Per Capita Adjustment Act, excludes funds paid by Minnesota to members of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians for hunting and fishing from federal or state income tax. The House passed this bill by voice vote in November, meaning it now heads to President Obama’s desk for his signature before becoming law.

– S. 684, the Mni Wiconi Project Act Amendments, directs the secretary of the Interior to develop plans for completing the Oglala Sioux Rural Water Supply System, the Rosebud Sioux Rural Water System and the Lower Brule Sioux Rural Water System. The House would have to pass this measure before it would go to the president’s desk for his signature.

– H.R. 4030 designates a U.S. Postal Service building in Miami, Fla., as the “Father Richard Marquess-Barry Post Office Building.” The House passed the bill earlier this month, meaning it heads to Obama’s desk.