[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Pages 25323-25324]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      GILA RIVER WATER SETTLEMENT

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, with Congress having passed S 437, I make a 
commitment to the San Carlos Apache Tribe to work next year to help 
attain and have enacted a fair Gila River water settlement for the 
tribe.
  The Gila River runs through the tribe's reservation. San Carlos 
Reservoir is located within their reservation. The tribe deserves a 
fair settlement of its water rights claims to that river and I want my 
colleagues and others to know that I am absolutely committed to 
achieving that.
  I had hoped to have been able to bring to the Senate legislation that 
would include a Gila River water settlement for this tribe. 
Unfortunately, we were unable to do that. The tribe is working toward a 
settlement with a number of groups that use the Gila River. I hope that 
the tribe, the United States, and the local non-Indian water users will 
be able to settle the tribe's water rights claims in the coming year. 
In connection with that effort, I want to send a strong message to the 
settlement negotiators: I expect everyone to negotiate in good-faith 
toward a fair settlement.
  I encourage all parties, including the San Carlos Apaches, to engage 
earnestly and vigorously to complete a Gila River water settlement as 
soon as possible. I will then work with both the Senators from New 
Mexico and my

[[Page 25324]]

Senate colleagues to see that such an agreement is ratified through 
legislation next year.

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