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H.R. 3254: Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act

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H.R. 3254: Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act

111th Congress · introduced 2009-07-17 · Native Americans · Latest: Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 266.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2009-07-17 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 12 (2010): On Passage, HR3254 (2010-01-21), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 266. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act

Plain summary

Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act - Authorizes, ratifies, and confirms the Settlement Agreement of March 31, 2006, between the United States, the Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, the Taos Valley Acequia Association and its 55 member ditches, Taos, the El Prado Water and Sanitation District (EPWSD), and the 12 Taos area Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Associations. Requires water rights to which the Taos Pueblo is entitled under the Partial Final Decree entered in New Mexico v. Abeyta and New Mexico v. Arellano to be held in trust by the United States. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to provide: (1) grants and technical assistance to the Pueblo to construct, replace, or rehabilitate water infrastructure, to protect the environment associated with the Buffalo Pasture area, and to enhance watershed conditions; and (2) financial assistance to eligible non-Pueblo entities for mutual-benefit projects in accordance with the Agreement. Establishes in the Treasury a Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund. Authorizes the Pueblo to market its water rights under the Agreement. Directs the Secretary to enter into three repayment contracts by December 31, 2009, for the delivery of specified amounts of San Juan-Chama Project water to the Pueblo, the town of Taos, and EPWSD. Provides for the waiver and release of claims against the parties to New Mexico v. Abeyta and New Mexico v. Arellano in return for recognition of the Pueblo's water rights.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3254, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act (2009-10-16); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3254, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act (2009-10-16)

Cosponsors on this site

Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3] reported raising $6.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Sources

Record fed-us-cong111-hr3254 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111