Sponsors (2)
The bill secures predictable, timely federal funding to complete tribal water settlements and enable future agreements, but it increases federal spending by about $295M/year and gives the Interior Secretary discretion that may reduce transparency and alter funding flexibility for some tribal provisions.
Indigenous and tribal communities, including residents on tribal lands, receive predictable, dedicated funding of $45M/year for operations and $250M/year for settlements (total $295M/year) through 2035 to satisfy water‑settlement obligations.
Indigenous and tribal communities (and other settlement parties) get payments made more quickly because authorized amounts become available without further appropriation, reducing administrative delays in fulfilling settlement obligations.
Indigenous tribes and state governments gain a new subaccount that can be tapped for future Congress‑approved water settlements, supporting completion of negotiated water agreements going forward.
Taxpayers bear additional annual federal outlays of about $295M per year through 2035 to fund the authorized payments.
State governments, local governments, and tribes may face reduced transparency and predictability because the Secretary of the Interior has broad discretion over the timing, indexing, and sequencing of transfers.
Tribal beneficiaries (notably the White Mountain Apache) could see restricted funding flexibility because the bill shifts or clarifies funding sources in a way that may limit use of the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund for a specific provision.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates two funded subaccounts in the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund with mandatory annual Treasury deposits through 2035 for settlements and O&M.
Official title: Amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to establish subaccounts in the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 24, 2026 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress June 24, 2026
Creates two permanent subaccounts in the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund and requires annual Treasury deposits from 2026 through 2035 to pay for approved Indian water settlements and for operations, maintenance, repair, and ongoing obligations. The Secretary of the Interior may transfer available amounts, without further appropriation, to satisfy U.S. obligations under enumerated prior settlements or any congressionally approved settlement. Also clarifies that certain amounts referenced in the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 may not come from the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund.