Sponsors (2)
The bill expands the Crow Tribe's authority and funding flexibility to develop reservation water infrastructure and strengthens tribal ownership, but leaves funding timing uncertain and places long-term operation and replacement cost risks squarely on the Tribe.
Crow Tribe residents will be able to use MR&I account funds to plan, design, construct, and repair reservation water and wastewater infrastructure, improving local water services on the reservation.
Available investment earnings on the Crow CIP Implementation Account plus indexing adjustments tied to the Bureau of Reclamation cost index increase resources and help deposited amounts keep pace with construction costs, reducing the risk that projects are underfunded.
The amendments clarify that title, control, and operation of projects remain with the Tribe, strengthening tribal ownership, local decision-making, and self-determination over water infrastructure.
The Tribe, not the Federal Government, is explicitly responsible for operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, potentially imposing substantial and sustained financial burdens on the Tribe.
The amendments do not specify dollar amounts or firm appropriation dates, leaving timing and sufficiency of federal funding uncertain and risking project delays or shortfalls.
Allowing remaining MR&I funds to be used to purchase on-Reservation land with water rights could divert funds away from direct infrastructure construction or repairs if projects are incomplete or costly.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced January 24, 2025 by Steve Daines · Last progress December 15, 2025
Makes technical and structural changes to the existing Crow Tribe water‑rights settlement law to reorganize how settlement funds are held and used. It creates a distinct MR&I (municipal, rural, and irrigation) Projects Account and a non‑trust Crow CIP Implementation Account, clarifies what deposits may be made and how funds may be spent, affirms tribal ownership and operation of constructed projects, and removes a federal obligation for operations, maintenance, and replacement. Also updates definitions, repeals the prior MR&I System provision, adds cost‑indexing rules for MR&I deposits, extends one Yellowtail Dam timing provision, authorizes transfers among certain joint accounts into the new accounts, and makes conforming cross‑reference and table‑of‑contents changes. The bill does not specify dollar amounts or an effective date in the text provided.