S. 3113 · 116th Congress
Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2019
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
No cosponsors.
Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2019
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Dec 19, 2019
Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2019
This bill modifies and ratifies a specified water rights settlement agreement entered into by the United States, Montana, and the Fort Belknap Indian Community (i.e., the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana).
The bill requires the community's water rights to be held in trust for the benefit of the community and its allottees. The community must enact a tribal water code to regulate its water rights.
Among other things, the Department of the Interior must
- negotiate with Montana for the transfer of specified parcels of state land located on and off the reservation,
- hold transferred land in trust for the benefit of the community,
- allocate 20,000 acre-feet per year of stored water from Lake Elwell,
- establish a settlement trust fund, and
- request Montana to pay a specified amount to contribute to the design and construction of the Peoples Creek Dam and Reservoir to support mitigation activities.
The bill requires the Bureau of Reclamation to modify the operating procedures of the Milk River Project to ensure that the Fresno Reservoir is operated in accordance with the agreement.
The bill also outlines certain waivers, releases, and retention of claims under the settlement agreement.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2019
Latest action (Dec 19, 2019): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Policy area: Native Americans · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Dec 19, 2019
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.