Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025
Introduced Jan 24, 2025 by Sen. Steve Daines
It's waiting on a committee vote to reach the full chamber. Most bills never leave this stage.
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
Read the full summary on Congress.govSummary by the Congressional Research Service.
No floor votes yet — it hasn't reached the floor of either chamber.