S. 3019: Montana Water Rights Protection Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-12-11 · Native Americans · Latest: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-12-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. 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

Montana Water Rights Protection Act

Plain summary

Montana Water Rights Protection Act This bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms a specified water rights settlement entered into by the United States, Montana, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation of Montana. Specified claims of the tribes against the United States are waived and released. The bill directs the Department of the Interior to allocate specified amounts of storage water in Hungry Horse Reservoir for use by the tribes. It also permits the tribes to carry out specified activities related to the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project, such as rehabilitating structures, upgrading irrigation facilities, and restoring streams that are affected by such project. In addition, the bill (1) establishes, for purposes of carrying out the bill, the Séliš-Qlispé Ksanka Settlement Trust Fund; (2) requires Interior to offer to negotiate with Montana for the transfer of specified parcels of state land; (3) requires the National Bison Range to be held in trust for the benefit of the tribes; and (4) requires Interior to make certain payments to Lake and Sanders Counties in Montana for the restoration of the National Bison Range.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Montana Water Rights Protection Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] reported raising $4.8 million (2025–2026). 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 (1)

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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3019.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3019 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116