Summary
The Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 would recognize and settle long-standing water rights claims by the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico. The bill would ratify a water rights settlement agreement involving the Zuni Tribe, the State of New Mexico, and other parties, resolving disputes over water rights in the Zuni River Stream System. To support this settlement, the bill would establish and fund the Zuni Tribe Settlement Trust Fund with dedicated accounts for carrying out the agreement's provisions.
Beyond water rights, the bill would protect culturally significant lands by withdrawing certain federal land in New Mexico from mineral development and designating it for protection of the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary, preservation of the lake's water quality and quantity, and safeguarding associated cultural resources. The Department of the Interior would be required to take additional land surrounding the Zuni Salt Lake into trust for the Zuni Tribe's benefit. If enacted, these provisions would provide the Zuni Tribe with greater control over water resources and protection of sacred lands.
The bill has been approved by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and is now eligible for a floor vote in the Senate. This represents a significant milestone in the legislative process, as most bills do not advance beyond committee review.
AI-generated summary
Lifecycle of the Bill
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Mar 5, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Mar 5, 2025 · 19:30
Business meeting to consider S.105, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, S.240, to amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make improvements to that Act, S.241, to provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, S.390, to require Federal law enforcement agencies to report on cases of missing or murdered Indians, S.546, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, S.550, to provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, S.562, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna in the Rio San Jose Stream System and the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia in the Rio Jemez Stream System in the State of New Mexico, S.563, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of Ohkay Owingeh in the Rio Chama Stream System, to restore the Bosque on Pueblo Land in the State of New Mexico, S.564, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Zuni Indian Tribe in the Zuni River Stream System in the State of New Mexico, to protect the Zuni Salt Lake, S.565, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Navajo Nation in the Rio San Jose Stream System in the State of New Mexico, S.612, to amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, S.620, to provide public health veterinary services to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for rabies prevention, S.621, to accept the request to revoke the charter of incorporation of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota at the request of that Community, S.622, to amend the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act to provide for the transfer of additional Federal land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, S.632, to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to allow Indian Health Service scholarship and loan recipients to fulfill service obligations through half-time clinical practice, S.637, to amend the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act to make improvements to that Act, S.640, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, to amend the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to make technical corrections to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund, S.642, to provide compensation to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for the taking without just compensation of land by the United States inside the exterior boundaries of the L'Anse Indian Reservation that were guaranteed to the Community under a treaty signed in 1854, S.673, to amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to authorize the expansion of the Miccosukee Reserved Area and to carry out activities to protect structures within the Osceola Camp from flooding, S.689, to approve the settlement of the water right claims of the Tule River Tribe, S.719, to amend the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to improve that Act, S.723, to require the Bureau of Indian Affairs to process and complete all mortgage packages associated with residential and business mortgages on Indian land by certain deadlines, S.748, to reaffirm the applicability of the Indian Reorganization Act to the Lytton Rancheria of California, S.761, to establish the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States, and H.R.165, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
Summary
On March 6, 2025, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a business meeting to consider a comprehensive package of 31 bills affecting Native American tribes and communities. The bills addressed multiple policy areas including land rights, water rights settlements, health services, and historical accountability. Key legislation included S. 761, which would establish a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies; S. 390, the BADGES for Native Communities Act requiring federal law enforcement to report on cases of missing or murdered Native Americans; and S. 632, the IHS Workforce Parity Act allowing Indian Health Service scholarship recipients to fulfill service obligations through half-time clinical practice. Additionally, the committee considered numerous water rights settlement bills for tribes including the Navajo Nation, Crow Tribe, Fort Belknap Indian Community, and Pueblo communities in New Mexico, as well as bills addressing land transfers and compensation claims. No witnesses were listed as providing testimony during this business meeting, which was procedural in nature as the committee considered whether to advance these bills. Business meetings differ from legislative hearings in that they focus on committee action rather than public testimony. The consideration of these bills does not guarantee their advancement; the committee must vote to approve them before they can proceed to the full Senate for further consideration.
Video
Watch videoCommittee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Mar 5, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Mar 5, 2025 · 19:30
Business meeting to consider S.105, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, S.240, to amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make improvements to that Act, S.241, to provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, S.390, to require Federal law enforcement agencies to report on cases of missing or murdered Indians, S.546, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, S.550, to provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, S.562, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna in the Rio San Jose Stream System and the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia in the Rio Jemez Stream System in the State of New Mexico, S.563, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of Ohkay Owingeh in the Rio Chama Stream System, to restore the Bosque on Pueblo Land in the State of New Mexico, S.564, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Zuni Indian Tribe in the Zuni River Stream System in the State of New Mexico, to protect the Zuni Salt Lake, S.565, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Navajo Nation in the Rio San Jose Stream System in the State of New Mexico, S.612, to amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, S.620, to provide public health veterinary services to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for rabies prevention, S.621, to accept the request to revoke the charter of incorporation of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota at the request of that Community, S.622, to amend the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act to provide for the transfer of additional Federal land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, S.632, to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to allow Indian Health Service scholarship and loan recipients to fulfill service obligations through half-time clinical practice, S.637, to amend the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act to make improvements to that Act, S.640, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, to amend the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to make technical corrections to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund, S.642, to provide compensation to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for the taking without just compensation of land by the United States inside the exterior boundaries of the L'Anse Indian Reservation that were guaranteed to the Community under a treaty signed in 1854, S.673, to amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to authorize the expansion of the Miccosukee Reserved Area and to carry out activities to protect structures within the Osceola Camp from flooding, S.689, to approve the settlement of the water right claims of the Tule River Tribe, S.719, to amend the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to improve that Act, S.723, to require the Bureau of Indian Affairs to process and complete all mortgage packages associated with residential and business mortgages on Indian land by certain deadlines, S.748, to reaffirm the applicability of the Indian Reorganization Act to the Lytton Rancheria of California, S.761, to establish the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States, and H.R.165, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
Summary
On March 6, 2025, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a business meeting to consider a comprehensive package of 31 bills affecting Native American tribes and communities. The bills addressed multiple policy areas including land rights, water rights settlements, health services, and historical accountability. Key legislation included S. 761, which would establish a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies; S. 390, the BADGES for Native Communities Act requiring federal law enforcement to report on cases of missing or murdered Native Americans; and S. 632, the IHS Workforce Parity Act allowing Indian Health Service scholarship recipients to fulfill service obligations through half-time clinical practice. Additionally, the committee considered numerous water rights settlement bills for tribes including the Navajo Nation, Crow Tribe, Fort Belknap Indian Community, and Pueblo communities in New Mexico, as well as bills addressing land transfers and compensation claims. No witnesses were listed as providing testimony during this business meeting, which was procedural in nature as the committee considered whether to advance these bills. Business meetings differ from legislative hearings in that they focus on committee action rather than public testimony. The consideration of these bills does not guarantee their advancement; the committee must vote to approve them before they can proceed to the full Senate for further consideration.
Video
Watch videoCongress
119th Congress
Introduced
Feb 13, 2025
