[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 141 (Tuesday, October 31, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S11425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 157--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS 
 THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO SHOULD ADHERE TO THE TERMS OF THE 1944 
UTILIZATION OF WATERS OF THE COLORADO AND TIJUANA RIVERS AND OF THE RIO 
           GRANDE TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO

  Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself and Mr. Gramm) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 157

       Whereas, the United States and Mexico signed a Treaty on 
     Water Utilization on February 3, 1944, to divide the waters 
     of the Rio Grande and Colorado River systems, and;
       Whereas, the Treaty required Mexico to deliver a minimum of 
     350,000 acre feet of water per year on a five year average 
     from six Mexican tributaries, and;
       Whereas, the Treaty required the United States to deliver a 
     minimum of 1,500,000 acre feet of water per year from the 
     Colorado River, and;
       Whereas, the United States has never failed to meet its 
     obligations under the Treaty, and;
       Whereas, during the period of 1992-1997, Mexico failed to 
     meet its obligations under the treaty by 1,024,000 acre feet, 
     and;
       Whereas, a recent study conducted by the Texas A&M 
     University agriculture program has determined the economic 
     impact to South Texas from this water loss due to non-
     compliance with the Treaty at $441,000,000 per year;
       Whereas, the Government of Mexico has not presented any 
     plan to repay its entire water debt, as required by the 
     Treaty; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that:
       (1) The President of the United States should promptly 
     utilize the full power of his office to bring about 
     compliance with the 1944 Treaty on Water Utilization in order 
     that the full requirement of water be available for United 
     States use during the next full crop season.
       (2) The United States Section of the International Boundary 
     and Water Commission should work to bring about full 
     compliance with the 1944 Treaty on Water Utilization and not 
     accept any water debt or deficit repayment plan which does 
     not provide for the full repayment of water owed.

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