Rio Grande Valley agricultural water interagency working group

(a) Establishment The Secretary, in coordination with the heads of the agencies described in subsection (c), shall establish an interagency working group to coordinate a whole-of-government strategy to protect the economic interests of United States agricultural producers impacted by water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty. (b) Duties The Working Group shall— (1) analyze the economic impact of water delivery deficits under the 1944 Water Treaty on the United States agricultural sector in the area affected by such water delivery deficits, including specific assessments of damages to perennial crops; (2) develop and implement a multi-agency strategy to— (A) secure annual and predictable water deliveries in accordance with the 1944 Water Treaty through the coordinated use of Federal diplomatic and operational authorities; (B) enhance the resilience of the domestic agricultural water supply through improved conservation and infrastructure; (C) assess trade-related mechanisms available to address agricultural supply chain disruptions caused by such water delivery deficits; (D) ensure that water resources and infrastructure in South Texas are efficiently managed and operational for the beneficial use of agricultural producers and municipal users; and (E) support Federal officials in securing annual and predictable water deliveries in accordance with the 1944 Water Treaty; (3) facilitate coordination among Federal agencies and with the State of Texas to align diplomatic, trade, and infrastructure efforts with the critical needs of the agricultural community in South Texas; and (4) provide a forum for public engagement and transparency regarding— (A) the status of water deliveries from Mexico under the 1944 Water Treaty; and (B) the findings of the Working Group and the strategy developed under paragraph (2). (c) Composition The Working Group shall be composed of— (1) the Secretary of Agriculture (who shall serve as Chair); (2) the Secretary of State; (3) the Secretary of the Interior; (4) the Commissioner of the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico; (5) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (6) the United States Trade Representative; (7) the Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and (8) the Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security Affairs. (d) Meetings (1) Frequency The Working Group shall meet not less frequently than annually. (2) Public access The Working Group shall— (A) hold the meetings described in paragraph (1) in a manner open to the public; and (B) provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders, including agricultural producers and irrigation districts, to provide oral and written comments to the Working Group. (e) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Working Group shall submit to the Committees on Agriculture, Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, and Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Appropriations, Energy and Natural Resources, Foreign Relations, and Finance of the Senate, a report describing— (1) the findings resulting from the analysis under subsection (b)(1); (2) the status of diplomatic and operational efforts to secure compliance with the annual water delivery requirements of the 1944 Water Treaty; (3) an assessment of potential trade or administrative actions to secure long term water reliability under treaties with Mexico; and (4) recommendations for projects, resources, and legislative authorities needed to fully implement the strategy developed under subsection (b)(2). (f) Definitions In this section: (1) 1944 Water Treaty The term 1944 Water Treaty means the Treaty Relating to the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande signed at Washington on February 3, 1944, and the Supplementary Protocol signed at Washington November 14, 1944. (2) Working Group The term Working Group means the interagency working group established under subsection (a).

(a) Establishment The Secretary, in coordination with the heads of the agencies described in subsection (c), shall establish an interagency working group to coordinate a whole-of-government strategy to protect the economic interests of United States agricultural producers impacted by water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty. (b) Duties The Working Group shall— (1) analyze the economic impact of water delivery deficits under the 1944 Water Treaty on the United States agricultural sector in the area affected by such water delivery deficits, including specific assessments of damages to perennial crops; (2) develop and implement a multi-agency strategy to— (A) secure annual and predictable water deliveries in accordance with the 1944 Water Treaty through the coordinated use of Federal diplomatic and operational authorities; (B) enhance the resilience of the domestic agricultural water supply through improved conservation and infrastructure; (C) assess trade-related mechanisms available to address agricultural supply chain disruptions caused by such water delivery deficits; (D) ensure that water resources and infrastructure in South Texas are efficiently managed and operational for the beneficial use of agricultural producers and municipal users; and (E) support Federal officials in securing annual and predictable water deliveries in accordance with the 1944 Water Treaty; (3) facilitate coordination among Federal agencies and with the State of Texas to align diplomatic, trade, and infrastructure efforts with the critical needs of the agricultural community in South Texas; and (4) provide a forum for public engagement and transparency regarding— (A) the status of water deliveries from Mexico under the 1944 Water Treaty; and (B) the findings of the Working Group and the strategy developed under paragraph (2). (c) Composition The Working Group shall be composed of— (1) the Secretary of Agriculture (who shall serve as Chair); (2) the Secretary of State; (3) the Secretary of the Interior; (4) the Commissioner of the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico; (5) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (6) the United States Trade Representative; (7) the Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and (8) the Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security Affairs. (d) Meetings (1) Frequency The Working Group shall meet not less frequently than annually. (2) Public access The Working Group shall— (A) hold the meetings described in paragraph (1) in a manner open to the public; and (B) provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders, including agricultural producers and irrigation districts, to provide oral and written comments to the Working Group. (e) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Working Group shall submit to the Committees on Agriculture, Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, and Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Appropriations, Energy and Natural Resources, Foreign Relations, and Finance of the Senate, a report describing— (1) the findings resulting from the analysis under subsection (b)(1); (2) the status of diplomatic and operational efforts to secure compliance with the annual water delivery requirements of the 1944 Water Treaty; (3) an assessment of potential trade or administrative actions to secure long term water reliability under treaties with Mexico; and (4) recommendations for projects, resources, and legislative authorities needed to fully implement the strategy developed under subsection (b)(2). (f) Definitions In this section: (1) 1944 Water Treaty The term 1944 Water Treaty means the Treaty Relating to the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande signed at Washington on February 3, 1944, and the Supplementary Protocol signed at Washington November 14, 1944. (2) Working Group The term Working Group means the interagency working group established under subsection (a).