H.R. 726

Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025

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Union Calendar No. 670

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 726

[Report No. 119–769]

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 24, 2025

Mr. Downing (for himself and Mr. Zinke) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

August 27, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 24, 2025

A BILL

To amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make improvements to that Act, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025.

2.

Crow Tribe water rights settlement

(a)

Definitions

Section 403 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3097) is amended—

(1)

by striking paragraph (11) and inserting the following:

(11)

MR&I Project

The term MR&I Project means an activity described in clauses (i) through (iii) of section 411(e)(3)(F).

; and

(2)

in paragraph (12)—

(A)

in the paragraph heading, by striking system and inserting projects; and

(B)

in subparagraphs (A) through (C), by striking System each place it appears and inserting Projects.

(b)

Repeal of MR&I System

(1)

In general

Section 406 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3102) is repealed.

(2)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents for the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3064) is amended by striking the item relating to section 406.

(c)

Crow Settlement Fund

Section 411 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3113) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking to be administered by the Secretary and inserting to be managed, invested, and distributed by the Secretary and to remain available until expended, withdrawn, or reverted to the general fund of the Treasury, consisting of amounts deposited in the Fund under subsection (b), together with any investment earnings, including interest, earned on those amounts,;

(2)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in paragraph (3), by striking System and inserting Projects; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(5)
(A)

The MR&I Projects Account, to be established as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025, consisting of—

(i)

amounts made available pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 414(b) that are appropriated after the date of enactment of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025; and

(ii)

amounts to be deposited pursuant to section 414(h)(2).

(B)

Amounts deposited into the MR&I Projects Account shall be further deposited into the special joint signature account named MR&I Account established pursuant to the agreement with the Tribe dated September 13, 2012, prior to any investment earnings accruing or becoming available.

;

(3)

in subsection (e)—

(A)

in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the following:

(C)

the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.).

; and

(B)

in paragraph (3)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A), by striking through (E) and inserting through (F);

(ii)

in subparagraph (E)—

(I)

in the subparagraph heading, by striking system and inserting projects; and

(II)

by striking System each place it appears and inserting Projects; and

(iii)

by adding at the end the following:

(F)

MR&I Projects Account

Funds from the MR&I Projects Account shall be used for expenditures by the Tribe in accordance with the following:

(i)

Priority use of funds

The Tribe shall use funds from the MR&I Projects Account—

(I)

to plan, permit, design, engineer, construct, reconstruct, replace, rehabilitate, operate, or repair water production, treatment, or delivery infrastructure, including for domestic and municipal use or wastewater infrastructure; and

(II)

to comply with applicable environmental laws for the activities described in subclause (I).

(ii)

Other use of funds

After providing written notice to the Secretary that on-Reservation MR&I projects described in clause (i) are complete, the Tribe may use funds remaining in the MR&I Projects Account to purchase on-Reservation land with water rights.

; and

(4)

by adding at the end the following:

(i)

Title to infrastructure

Title to, control over, and operation of any project constructed using funds from the MR&I Projects Account shall remain in the Tribe.

(j)

Operation, maintenance, and replacement

The Federal Government shall have no obligation to pay for the operation, maintenance, or replacement of any MR&I Project.

.

(d)

Yellowtail Dam, Montana

Subsection (b)(1) of section 412 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3116) is amended by striking 15 years and inserting 20 years.

(e)

Funding

Section 414 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3120) is amended in subsection (e)—

(1)

in the subsection heading, by striking System and inserting Projects; and

(2)

by striking System and inserting Projects.

(f)

Technical and conforming amendments

(1)

Section 403(9) of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3098) is amended by striking (25 U.S.C. 450b) and inserting (25 U.S.C. 5304).

(2)

Section 410(e)(1) of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–291; 124 Stat. 3112) is amended in subparagraph (C), by striking agreements with the Tribe required by sections 405(a) and 406(a) and inserting agreement with the Tribe required by section 405(a).

August 27, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed