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Senate Bill 564
119th Congress(2025-2026)
Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Feb 13, 2025
Overview
Text
Bill Intelligence

The Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 aims to resolve water rights claims in the Zuni River Stream System for the Zuni Tribe and the United States. It outlines tribal water rights and the Zuni Tribe Settlement Trust Fund, providing funds for water-related purposes. The bill also addresses waivers and releases of claims, protection and management of the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary, and transfer of land into trust for the Zuni Tribe. It emphasizes environmental compliance requirements, federal funding allocation, and State contributions for the monitoring and mitigation of non-Indian groundwater rights. Additionally, the bill ensures protection of the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary in New Mexico, restricting certain activities on Federal land and transfer of land into trust for the Zuni Tribe.

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Introduced
Feb 13, 2025
Latest Action
Jun 4, 2026
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
564
Congress
119
Policy Area
Native Americans
Native Americans
Primary focus of measure is matters affecting Native Americans, including Alaska Natives and Hawaiians, in a variety of domestic policy settings. This includes claims, intergovernmental relations, and Indian lands and resources.
Sponsorship by Party
Democrat
Martin Heinrich
New Mexico
Democrat
Ben Ray Lujan
New Mexico
Senate Votes (0)
House Votes (0)
No Senate votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025

This bill recognizes and settles certain water rights claims in New Mexico of the pueblo of Zuni and establishes and provides funding for a related settlement trust fund. It also requires federal actions related to the Zuni Salt Lake in New Mexico.

Specifically, the bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms a specified water rights settlement agreement entered into by Zuni, New Mexico, and others, thus satisfying claims to water rights in the Zuni River Stream System in New Mexico.

The bill establishes and provides funding for the Zuni Tribe Settlement Trust Fund (and specified accounts) for purposes of carrying out this bill.

Additionally, the bill (1) specifies the water rights of the pueblo; and (2) outlines waivers, releases, and retentions of claims by the pueblo and the United States.

The bill also withdraws certain federal land in New Mexico from mineral development. The bill reserves this federal land for the following three purposes: (1) the protection of the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary, (2) the protection of the quality and quantity of the Zuni Salt Lake's water supply, and (3) the protection of any cultural resources associated with the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary. The Bureau of Land Management must manage this land.

The Department of the Interior must take certain land surrounding the Zuni Salt Lake into trust for the benefit of Zuni.

Text (1)
Introduced in Senate
February 13, 2025
Related Bills (1)
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced in House
3
Sponsorship
House Bill 1444
Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025
Introduced
Type
Identical Bill
Identical Bill
A bill that is word-for-word identical to another bill. Bills are characterized as identical to each other at the introduced stage only, even though a later (e.g., reported or passed) version of a bill might meet the same criteria for text similarity. Companion measures, procedurally-related measures, and legislation with text similarities are other related bill types.
Identified By
CRS
Actions (5)
06/04/2026
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 429.
06/04/2026
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-125.
03/05/2025
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
02/13/2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
02/13/2025
Introduced in Senate
Public Record
Record Updated
Jun 5, 2026 12:18:24 PM
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