H.R. 5633: Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-07-06 · Native Americans · Latest: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-07-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-At Large] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act

Plain summary

Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act This bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms the water rights compact between the Blackfeet Tribe and Montana dated April 15, 2009, as modified to be consistent with this bill. The tribe and the Fort Belknap Indian Community must agree on their Milk River water rights. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) must: (1) enter into at least one water delivery contract with the Blackfeet Tribe for water from the St. Mary River water right, (2) review the final project design of the Swiftcurrent Creek Bank Stabilization Project and work with the tribe to carry out the project, and (3) carry out specified maintenance projects. The tribe must grant the United States certain easements and rights-of-way. The USBR is granted exclusive jurisdiction to authorize the development of St. Mary Unit hydroelectric power. The tribe is granted the exclusive right to develop and market such power. Interior must allocate water stored in Lake Elwell for the tribe. Ownership of Birch Creek water delivery facilities is transferred to the tribe. The tribe must establish a tribal water code, subject to Interior approval. The water rights of the tribe within the Lewis and Clark National Forest and Glacier National Park are confirmed. The tribe and the United States must waive certain claims to water rights. The tribe must: (1) waive claims against the United States regarding specified land and facilities, and (2) withdraw objections to U.S. water rights claims for the benefit of the Milk River Project. The provisions of this bill expire and related actions and agreements are void if Interior does not publish specified findings or appropriations are not made.

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

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Blackfeet 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. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-At Large] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-At Large] reported raising $10.1 million (2023–2024). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr5633.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5633 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114