Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025

The Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025 would ratify a water rights settlement agreement between the federal government, Montana, and the Fort Belknap Indian Community, which includes the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes. Under this bill, the community's water rights would be held in trust, and the community would be required to establish a tribal water code to manage those rights. The bill would also authorize the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture to negotiate with Montana to exchange state lands for federal lands to be held in trust for the community's benefit, though gaming would be prohibited on any lands taken into trust.

Additionally, the bill would establish two trust funds to support implementation of the settlement and would authorize the Department of the Interior to plan, design, construct, and maintain water distribution and wastewater treatment facilities for the Blackfeet Tribe on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The bill would provide federal funding for these accounts and infrastructure projects. Currently, the bill has been introduced in the House and referred to committee for consideration, but has not yet been voted on by the full chamber.