# 119-s-4368: Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act 119-s-4368, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-21). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4368 - As of: 2026-08-21 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-s-4368 - Congress: 119 - Title: Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act - Status: in_committee - Introduced: 2026-04-22 - Sponsor: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA) - Cosponsors: 1 - Policy area: Native Americans - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-08-21 ## Summary **This bill would create a comprehensive settlement that _settles and funds Agua Caliente Tribal water rights_.** It would confirm a quantified Tribal Water Right and set up a multi-account trust to pay for water projects, augmentation, management, and operations. ## Cosponsors (1) - Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA] (D-CA), 2026-04-22T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - Federal parcels put into Tribal trust: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would take specified Federal parcels into trust for the Tribe on the Enforceability Date and withdraw those lands from public-land entry and mining laws on enactment. Existing rights and improvements remain subject to valid rights and must be removed within 90 days after rights… - Legal rules for enforcing the agreement: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would say the Act controls if the Agreement conflicts with this statute. It would grant a limited waiver of the United States' sovereign immunity only as federal law permits to enforce the Act and Agreement. The bill would also preserve existing pre-enforcement review rules for… - Tribal groundwater right up to 20,000 AFY: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would confirm a Tribal Water Right in trust for the Tribe and Allottees to produce or use up to 20,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater with a priority date no later than 1876–1877. The right would not be lost for non-use, may be reused, and off-Reservation leases are limited… - Stop work if tribal remains found: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would require CVWD and its representatives to stop ground-disturbing work immediately if suspected Tribal cultural resources or human remains are found at the Facility or adjacent lands. CVWD must notify the Tribe's preservation official and legal counsel, and must notify the C… - Tribal tax for possessory interests: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would let the Tribe impose a Tribal Tax on possessory interests in place of the Riverside County ad valorem tax for taxable periods after the first January 1 following the Enforceability Date. The Tribal Tax could not be set at a lower rate or assessed value than the County tax… - Waivers and limits on past water claims: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would require the Tribe and the United States acting as trustee to execute broad waivers and releases of many historical water-related claims against Coachella Valley Water District and Desert Water Agency on the Enforceability Date. The waivers would preserve specific exceptio… - $500M Agua Caliente Trust Fund: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would create a $500 million Agua Caliente Settlement Trust Fund split into four accounts: $300 million for Development Projects (with $50 million available on deposit), $100 million for Groundwater Augmentation, $50 million for Water Management, and $50 million for operation an… - Environmental review and cost rules: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would require implementation actions under the Agreement and Act to follow NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and other federal environmental laws. The Tribe would prepare necessary environmental documents, and the Secretary would independently evaluate and remain responsible fo… - Sale of facility land to water district: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary sell specific Facility Land to the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) if CVWD offers to buy it at fair market value. CVWD must pay appraisal and conveyance costs, submit an offer within 30 days after appraisal, and pay FMV within 30 days after convey… ## Related bills - 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 - 119-s-1462: Fix Our Forests Act - 119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act - 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act - 119-s-4949: Water Resources Development Act of 2026 - 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act ## Sources - [119-s-4368 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4368) ## Related - [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066) - [119-s-1462: Fix Our Forests Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1462) - [119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2838) - [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819) - [119-s-4949: Water Resources Development Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4949) - [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4368 (as of 2026-08-21).