S. 240 · Where this bill is now
On the President's desk
Sent to the President Oct 5, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryUpdates Crow Tribe's water rights settlement agreement
This bill makes changes to a 2010 water rights agreement between the Crow Tribe of Montana and the state. It sets up two separate accounts—one to help the federal Bureau of Reclamation continue fixing up the Crow Irrigation Project, and another for the tribe to use on water systems like treatment and delivery infrastructure. The bill also gives the tribe five extra years (until 2030) to build hydropower facilities at Yellowtail Afterbay Dam.
How it affects you
The Crow Tribe and people who depend on water systems in the Crow Reservation would see direct effects from these changes. The updated accounts could help move forward water infrastructure projects that serve the tribe and the region. Most people outside the Crow Reservation area wouldn't experience direct impacts.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 24, 2025)
Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025
This bill revises the water rights settlement agreement entered into by the Crow Tribe of Montana and Montana.
The Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 ratified, authorized, and confirmed the water rights compact between the tribe and Montana. Among other provisions, this settlement act authorized the Bureau of Reclamation to plan, design and construct the following two major projects on the Crow Reservation: (1) the rehabilitation and improvement of the Crow Irrigation Project (CIP); and (2) the planning, design, and construction of the MR&I System (the municipal, rural, and industrial water system of the Crow Reservation).
Among other provisions, the bill revises the settlement act to
• replace references to the MR&I System with MR&I Projects ;
• establish a nontrust, interest-bearing account (to be known as the Crow CIP Implementation Account) to allow Reclamation to continue to work on the rehabilitation of the CIP;
• create a new MR&I Projects Account, through which the tribe must use funds for activities related to water production, treatment, or delivery infrastructure; and
• extend by five years (to 2030) the period during which the tribe has the exclusive right to construct hydropower facilities on the Yellowtail Afterbay Dam in Montana.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 240
AN ACT
Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) · Introduced Jan 24, 2025 · Native Americans · 5 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Oct 5, 2026: “Presented to President.”