[119th Congress Public Law 122]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 140 STAT. 1069]]
Public Law 119-122
119th Congress
An Act
To amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make
improvements to that Act, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 15,
2026 - [S. 240]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Crow Tribe Water
Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement
Amendments Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. CROW TRIBE WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT.
(a) Definitions.--Section 403 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights
Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291; 124 Stat. 3097) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (11) and inserting the following:
``(11) MR&I project.--The term `MR&I Project' means an
activity described in clauses (i) through (iii) of section
411(e)(3)(F).''; and
(2) in paragraph (12)--
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``System''
and inserting ``Projects''; and
(B) in subparagraphs (A) through (C), by striking
``System'' each place it appears and inserting
``Projects''.
(b) Repeal of MR&I System.--
(1) In general.--Section 406 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights
Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291; 124 Stat. 3102) is
repealed.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for the
Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291; 124 Stat.
3064) is amended by striking the item relating to section 406.
(c) Crow Settlement Fund.--Section 411 of the Crow Tribe Water
Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291; 124 Stat. 3113) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``to be administered by
the Secretary'' and inserting ``to be managed, invested, and
distributed by the Secretary and to remain available until
expended, withdrawn, or reverted to the general fund of the
Treasury, consisting of amounts deposited in the Fund under
subsection (b), together with any investment earnings, including
interest, earned on those amounts,'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``System'' and
inserting ``Projects''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
[[Page 140 STAT. 1070]]
``(5)(A) The MR&I Projects Account, to be established as
soon as practicable after the date of enactment of the Crow
Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025, consisting
of--
``(i) amounts made available pursuant to
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 414(b) that are
appropriated after the date of enactment of the
Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act
of 2025; and
``(ii) amounts to be deposited pursuant to
section 414(h)(2).
``(B) Amounts deposited into the MR&I Projects Account shall
be further deposited into the special joint signature account
named `MR&I Account' established pursuant to the agreement with
the Tribe dated September 13, 2012, prior to any investment
earnings accruing or becoming available.'' '';
(3) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (C)
and inserting the following:
``(C) the American Indian Trust Fund Management
Reform Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.).''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``through
(E)'' and inserting ``through (F)'';
(ii) in subparagraph (E)--
(I) in the subparagraph heading, by
striking ``System'' and inserting
``Projects''; and
(II) by striking ``System'' each
place it appears and inserting
``Projects''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) MR&I projects account.--Funds from the MR&I
Projects Account shall be used for expenditures by the
Tribe in accordance with the following:
``(i) Priority use of funds.--The Tribe shall
use funds from the MR&I Projects Account--
``(I) to plan, permit, design,
engineer, construct, reconstruct,
replace, rehabilitate, operate, or
repair water production, treatment, or
delivery infrastructure, including for
domestic and municipal use or wastewater
infrastructure; and
``(II) <<NOTE: Compliance.>> to
comply with applicable environmental
laws for the activities described in
subclause (I).
``(ii) <<NOTE: Notice.>> Other use of
funds.--After providing written notice to the
Secretary that on-Reservation MR&I projects
described in clause (i) are complete, the Tribe
may use funds remaining in the MR&I Projects
Account to purchase on-Reservation land with water
rights.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Title to Infrastructure.--Title to, control over, and
operation of any project constructed using funds from the MR&I Projects
Account shall remain in the Tribe.
``(j) Operation, Maintenance, and Replacement.--The Federal
Government shall have no obligation to pay for the operation,
maintenance, or replacement of any MR&I Project.''.
(d) Yellowtail Dam, Montana.--Subsection (b)(1) of section 412 of
the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public
[[Page 140 STAT. 1071]]
Law 111-291; 124 Stat. 3116) is amended by striking ``15 years'' and
inserting ``20 years''.
(e) Funding.--Section 414 of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement
Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291; 124 Stat. 3120) is amended in
subsection (e)--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``System'' and
inserting ``Projects''; and
(2) by striking ``System'' and inserting ``Projects''.
(f) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 403(9) of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement
Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291; 124 Stat. 3098) is amended by
striking ``(25 U.S.C. 450b)'' and inserting ``(25 U.S.C.
5304)''.
(2) Section 410(e)(1) of the Crow Tribe Water Rights
Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291; 124 Stat. 3112) is
amended in subparagraph (C), by striking ``agreements with the
Tribe required by sections 405(a) and 406(a)'' and inserting
``agreement with the Tribe required by section 405(a)''.
Approved October 15, 2026.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 240 (H.R. 726):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 119-769 (Comm. on Natural Resources) accompanying
H.R. 726.
SENATE REPORTS: No. 119-93 (Comm. on Indian Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 171 (2025):
Dec. 11, considered and passed
Senate.
Vol. 172 (2026):
Sept. 14, considered and passed
House, amended.
Sept. 24, Senate concurred in House
amendment.
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