Sponsors (2)
The bill trades substantial federal investment and legally secured water and land rights for Fort Belknap and improved reservation infrastructure and health outcomes against significant federal spending, implementation and funding risks, limits on some legal and environmental reviews, and shifted financial and administrative burdens to tribal and local stakeholders.
Fort Belknap Indian Community and its allottees receive a final, ratified water-rights settlement and guaranteed water allocations, providing legal certainty over water use and prioritization for tribal and irrigation needs.
Fort Belknap and Blackfeet communities receive large, dedicated federal funding (including deposits into a trust fund) and debt cancellations to build and operate water, sewer, irrigation projects and a wellness center, giving long-term local control of water investments and reducing tribal debt burdens.
Tribal members gain secure title and trust status to roughly 3,519 acres and authority over conveyed lands, expanding the Reservation land base and enabling tribal control over land use and local economic development.
Taxpayers face large new federal spending (hundreds of millions, including a $250M increase) and potential deficit or crowding-out effects unless fully offset.
Project outcomes depend on future appropriations, timely permitting and procurement, and availability of O&M funds—creating significant implementation, delay, and long‑term sustainability risk for the promised infrastructure benefits.
The United States disclaims certain liabilities and fiduciary monitoring for Tribal leasing proceeds and the bill restricts judicial review of some Secretary decisions, reducing federal protections and legal recourse for tribal members in disputes over management or expenditures.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Finalizes a Fort Belknap water-rights settlement, transfers specified lands into tribal trust, creates a settlement trust fund, and authorizes $250M for Blackfeet water/wastewater systems.
Introduced January 24, 2025 by Steve Daines · Last progress January 24, 2025
Settles long-running water rights claims for the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana, approves and directs implementation of the Fort Belknap–Montana water compact, transfers specified federal and state lands into trust for the Tribe, and creates a dedicated trust fund to pay for irrigation, water-rights administration, and domestic water/sewer projects. It also authorizes a separate $250 million appropriation for planning, building, operating, and replacing community water and wastewater systems for the Blackfeet Tribe.