[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2643 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2643

   To improve the implementation of the settlement agreement reached 
between the Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico and the Corps of Engineers, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 7, 2016

Mr. Udall (for himself and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To improve the implementation of the settlement agreement reached 
between the Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico and the Corps of Engineers, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pueblo de Cochiti Self-Governance 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS.

    (a) General Authorization.--Section 1 of the Act of August 26, 1992 
(Public Law 102-358; 106 Stat. 960; 118 Stat. 543), is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (2);
            (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ``; and'' at the end and 
        inserting a period;
            (3) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
                following:
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary''; and
                    (B) by striking ``implement--'' and all that 
                follows through ``the settlement'' in paragraph (1) and 
                inserting ``implement the settlement''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Ratification.--Congress ratifies and approves the 
modifications regarding the use of the settlement funds and transfer of 
responsibility for the drainage system, as described in the agreement 
known as `Amendment to the Settlement Agreement for Implementation of 
Cochiti Wetfields Solution', executed on--
            ``(1) October 15, 2015, by the Department of the Interior;
            ``(2) October 21, 2015, by the Corps of Engineers; and
            ``(3) October 27, 2015, by the Pueblo de Cochiti of New 
        Mexico.''.
    (b) Duties of the Secretary.--Section 2 of the Act of August 26, 
1992 (Public Law 102-358; 106 Stat. 960), is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 2. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

    ``(a) In General.--In accordance with the settlement agreement and 
pursuant to the government-to-government relationship between the 
United States and the Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico and the 
modifications to the settlement agreement under section 1(b), the 
Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico, as an exercise of self-determination, 
assumes any and all legal and financial responsibility for the 
operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of the drainage system.
    ``(b) No Responsibility for Drainage System.--The United States 
shall have no further legal or financial responsibility for the 
operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of the drainage system.
    ``(c) Release From Liability.--Effective beginning on the date on 
which the Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico assumes all legal and 
financial responsibility for the operation, maintenance, repair, and 
replacement of the drainage system under subsection (a), the Pueblo de 
Cochiti of New Mexico, on behalf of the Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico 
and the members of the Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico, waives and 
releases the United States from all past, present, and future liability 
for any claim relating to the operation, maintenance, repair, or 
replacement of the drainage system.''.
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