S. 241 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 24, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summarySettles water rights for Montana tribal communities
This bill approves a water rights agreement between the U.S. government, Montana, and the Fort Belknap Indian Community (made up of the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes). It requires the community to develop a tribal water code to manage their water rights, which will be held in trust. The bill also allows the federal government to negotiate with Montana to swap state lands for federal lands to benefit the community, and it authorizes the federal government to build and maintain water and wastewater systems for the Blackfeet Tribe. The bill creates two funds to pay for these programs.
How it affects you
This settlement directly affects members of the Fort Belknap Indian Community and the Blackfeet Tribe in Montana, who gain secure water rights and improved water infrastructure. For other Montanans, this resolves a long-standing water rights dispute involving state and tribal lands. Most Americans outside Montana won't experience direct changes from this bill.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 24, 2025)
Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025
This bill modifies and ratifies a specified water rights settlement agreement entered into by the United States, Montana, and the Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana (i.e., the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes). The bill also authorizes wastewater infrastructure on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana.
The bill requires the community's water rights to be held in trust for the benefit of the community and its allottees. The community must enact a tribal water code to regulate its water rights.
Additionally, the bill authorizes the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (as applicable) to enter negotiations with Montana to exchange certain state lands for federal lands to be held in trust for the benefit of the community. The bill prohibits gaming on the land taken into trust.
The bill also
• establishes the Aaniiih Nakoda Settlement Trust Fund (and specified accounts) for purposes of carrying out this bill,
• establishes the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Settlement Implementation Fund (and specified accounts) for purposes of carrying out this bill, and
• provides funding for specified accounts established by the bill.
The bill also authorizes Interior to plan, design, construct, operate, maintain, and replace community water distribution and wastewater treatment facilities for the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of 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. 241
A BILL
Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) · Introduced Jan 24, 2025 · Native Americans · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 5, 2025: “Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.”
Sections
Sections · 1
Title I — Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 · 16
- Sec. 101Short titleNo change
- Sec. 102PurposesNo change
- Sec. 103DefinitionsNo change
- Sec. 104Ratification of CompactNo change
- Sec. 105Tribal water rightsNo change
- Sec. 106Exchange and transfer of landNo change
- Sec. 107Storage allocation from Lake ElwellNo change
- Sec. 108Milk River Project mitigationNo change
- Sec. 109Fort Belknap Indian Irrigation Project SystemNo change
- Sec. 110Satisfaction of claimsNo change
- Sec. 111Waivers and releases of claimsNo change
- Sec. 112Aaniiih Nakoda Settlement Trust FundNo change
- Sec. 113Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Settlement Implementation FundNo change
- Sec. 114FundingNo change
- Sec. 115Miscellaneous provisionsNo change
- Sec. 116AntideficiencyNo change