S. 817 would modify how the Secretary of the Interior evaluates land to be taken into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon. Under current law, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has two separate processes for evaluating potential trust land depending on whether the land is located within or outside of the recognized boundaries of the reservation. If the land is located outside of the recognized boundaries, the process requires greater scrutiny. The bill would require the Secretary to consider certain property that is considered “off-reservation” under current law as “on-reservation.” Under the legislation, all property taken into trust would be considered part of the reservation.
Based on information from DOI, CBO estimates that implementing S. 817 would have no significant effect on the federal budget. We estimate that any change in the department’s administrative costs under the bill, which would be subject to appropriation, would not exceed $500,000 in any year.
Enacting S. 817 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting S. 817 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2026.
S. 817 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.