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S640119th CongressWALLET

Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act

Sponsored By: Senator Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

Passed Senate

Summary

This act makes targeted technical corrections to adjust and fund three tribal water trust funds. It sends adjusted interest payments to the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos and clarifies how investment earnings and certain waivers are handled.

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  • Navajo Nation: Deposits $6.4 million into the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund as an adjusted interest payment.
  • Taos Pueblo: Authorizes $7.8 million to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund for water development.
  • Aamodt Settlement Pueblos: Authorizes $4.3 million to the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund for operation, maintenance, and replacement of Pueblo water facilities and the regional water system. It also waives certain past interest payments owed to the United States tied to amounts available before September 15, 2017.
  • Investment earnings and legal clarifications: Allows investment earnings credited to these trust amounts to be appropriated. The act also reaffirms prior conditions precedent and the validity of related Secretarial findings under the Claims Resolution Act of 2010.

*Net effect: increases federal outlays by about $18.5 million in one-time deposits, plus potential effects from waived past interest receipts and any appropriated investment earnings.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Keep past water settlement approvals valid

If enacted, the bill would state that it does not change earlier findings that key conditions were met for these settlements. It would keep the Secretarial findings published on October 7, 2016 and September 15, 2017 valid.

One-time funding for tribal water funds

If enacted, the government would make one-time deposits into three tribal water trust funds. It would add $6,357,674.46 (about $6.36 million) to the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund. It would add $7,794,297.52 (about $7.79 million) to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund. It would add $4,314,709.18 (about $4.31 million) to the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund for the Pueblos’ share of operating, maintenance, and replacement costs for their water systems. Investment earnings credited to these funds would also be authorized for appropriation. The bill would also clarify that deposits made under the new Navajo interest subsection are excluded from a prior cross-reference rule.

Waive old interest on Aamodt funds

If enacted, the Treasury Secretary would waive any money owed to the United States that comes from interest earned on Aamodt settlement funds made available before September 15, 2017. The waiver would only cover interest tied to those pre‑September 15, 2017 amounts.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

NM • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 2/19/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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