Bill · S. 240· Senate(119-S-240)
Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/24/2025
- Last activity
- 10/5/2026 — Presented to President.
- Sponsored by
- Steve Daines
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To President
- Adopted
The President has until Friday, October 16 to sign it or veto it — 3 days from today. Doing neither makes it law without a signature, unless Congress adjourns first, which kills it.
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025. It makes changes to the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010. The legislation updates definitions and repeals the old MR&I System. It creates a new MR&I Projects Account to manage and distribute funds for the Tribe. The bill also details how the Tribe can use these funds for water and wastewater infrastructure. Finally, it extends a timeframe related to the Yellowtail Dam in Montana and makes other technical corrections.
Yes· 3 of 20
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+10
Directly provides funding and legal mechanisms for the Crow Tribe's water rights and infrastructure.
Would farmers be better off under this?+8
Water rights and infrastructure are critical for agricultural productivity.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+8
Focuses specifically on improving rural water infrastructure.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Better Infrastructure for the Tribe: Under Section 2(c), the bill creates an MR&I Projects Account. The Tribe can use these funds to plan, design, construct, and repair water, treatment, delivery, and wastewater infrastructure, ensuring better access to domestic and municipal water resources.
-
Tribal Ownership and Control: Section 2(c) adds a provision stating that title to, control over, and operation of any project built using funds from the MR&I Projects Account will remain with the Tribe. This gives the Tribe direct authority over their own water facilities.
-
Land Purchases: According to Section 2(c), once the Tribe finishes their on-Reservation MR&I projects and notifies the Secretary, they are allowed to use any remaining funds in the MR&I Projects Account to purchase on-Reservation land that comes with water rights.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No Federal Help for Upkeep: Section 2(c) explicitly states that the Federal Government will have no obligation to pay for the operation, maintenance, or replacement of any MR&I Project. This means all upkeep costs fall entirely outside of federal funding responsibilities.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+10Good For Farmers+8Good For Rural Residents+8Good For Low Income Households+6Good For Business Owners+4Good For Middle Class Households+4Good For Children+3Good For Seniors+3Good For Union Workers+3Good For High Income Households+2Good For Middle Aged+2Good For Young Adults+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+7Improves Public Land Management+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+5Improves Affordable Housing+3Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+2Improves Economic Growth+1
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+2
- Enrolled Bill
The final version, on its way to the President
The changes one chamber made to the other chamber’s version, as it passed them
- 10/5/2026
- Presented to President.
- 9/28/2026
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 9/24/2026
- Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 240 by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5020)
- Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 240 by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5020)
- 9/15/2026
- Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
- 9/14/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5570)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5570)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 240.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5570-5571)
- Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 12/15/2025
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 12/11/2025
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8691-8692; text: CR S8691-8692)
- 11/4/2025
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-93.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 260.
- 3/5/2025
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 1/24/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana