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119-hr-726119th CongressWALLET

Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]

In Committee

Summary

Reframes tribal MR&I funding into project-focused Accounts and locks tribal ownership of water infrastructure. This bill would replace the MR&I System with a project-based MR&I framework, create a dedicated MR&I Projects Account, and clarify how funds are managed and used.

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  • Crow Tribe: Would prioritize MR&I account money for planning, permitting, designing, constructing, reconstructing, replacing, rehabilitating, operating, or repairing on‑reservation domestic and wastewater water projects. After those on‑reservation projects are complete, remaining funds could be used to purchase on‑reservation land with water rights.
  • Tribal control and costs: Title, control, and operation of projects built with MR&I funds would remain with the Tribe. The federal government would have no obligation to pay for operation, maintenance, or replacement of those projects.
  • Funding and governance changes: Would repeal the standalone MR&I System, establish an MR&I Projects Account managed, invested, and distributed by the Secretary, require deposits into a special joint signature "MR&I Account" under the 2012 tribal agreement, and extend the Yellowtail Dam term from 15 years to 20 years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

New tribal water projects account

If enacted, the bill would create an MR&I Projects Account for the Crow Tribe as soon as practicable after enactment. The account would hold amounts appropriated after enactment and deposits required by the law, and those amounts must first go into the special joint signature "MR&I Account" established by the Tribe's September 13, 2012 agreement before any investment earnings are available. The Secretary would manage, invest, and distribute the Crow Settlement Fund and those funds would remain available until spent, withdrawn, or returned to the Treasury. Projects paid for with account money would stay owned and run by the Tribe, but the federal government would have no obligation to pay for their operation, maintenance, or replacement.

Longer Yellowtail Dam repayment period

If enacted, the bill would change the Yellowtail Dam term from 15 years to 20 years by amending the relevant statute. Spreading the same obligation over 20 years would likely lower yearly payments tied to that term. The text does not state specific dollar amounts.

Remove old MR&I system rules

If enacted, the bill would repeal section 406 of the 2010 Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act and remove its table of contents entry. The bill would also update agreement language so that only the agreement required by section 405(a) is referenced, removing the cross‑reference to the repealed section. These are technical changes to the statute and agency agreements.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]

MT • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 1/24/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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