S. 564 · 119TH CONGRESSSenate · Jun 4, 2026

Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025

Introduced

Senate

House

Resolving Differences

President

Became Law

Description

This bill would settle water rights claims for the Zuni Tribe in New Mexico and protect federal lands surrounding the Zuni Salt Lake.

Summary

This summary may be out of date

Last regenerated The bill has had legislative action since.

AI summary based on the official CRS summary on Congress.gov.

What it does

This bill would formalize a water rights settlement agreement between the Zuni Tribe, the State of New Mexico, and other parties to resolve claims within the Zuni River Stream System. It proposes the creation of the Zuni Tribe Settlement Trust Fund to support the agreement's implementation and requires the federal government to take certain lands into trust for the tribe's benefit. Additionally, the legislation would withdraw specific federal lands from mineral development to protect the water quality and cultural resources of the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary.

Who is affected

This bill directly affects the Pueblo of Zuni and the State of New Mexico by settling water rights claims within the Zuni River Stream System. Federal agencies, specifically the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management, are impacted through requirements to manage trust funds and oversee protected federal lands surrounding the Zuni Salt Lake. Additionally, the bill affects entities involved in mineral development due to the withdrawal of certain federal lands from such activities to protect cultural and water resources.

Key provisions

Settlement of Water Rights Claims. The bill authorizes and confirms a water rights settlement agreement between the Zuni Tribe, the State of New Mexico, and other parties to resolve claims within the Zuni River Stream System.
Establishment of the Zuni Tribe Settlement Trust Fund. The legislation creates a trust fund with specific accounts to provide the necessary funding for implementing the terms of the settlement.
Protection of Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary. The bill withdraws certain federal lands from mineral development to protect the water quality, water quantity, and cultural resources of the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary.
Land Into Trust Transfers. The Department of the Interior is required to take specific lands surrounding the Zuni Salt Lake into trust for the benefit of the Zuni Tribe.
Waivers and Releases of Claims. The bill outlines the specific legal waivers, releases, and retentions of water rights claims by the Zuni Tribe and the United States government.

Fiscal impact

S. 564, Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025
Apr 1, 2026 · As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on March 5, 2025

Effective dates

Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates

Relationship to existing law

This bill ratifies and confirms a specific water rights settlement agreement between the Zuni Tribe, the State of New Mexico, and other parties to resolve claims within the Zuni River Stream System. It also mandates the Bureau of Land Management to manage certain federal lands and requires the Department of the Interior to take land into trust for the benefit of the Zuni Tribe.

Stated purpose

The bill aims to recognize and settle water rights claims for the Zuni Indian Tribe in New Mexico by ratifying a settlement agreement, establishing a dedicated trust fund, and protecting the Zuni Salt Lake and its surrounding cultural and natural resources.

View the official bill text (PDF)

Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Mar 5, 2025

HearingSenateMeeting

Mar 5, 2025 · 19:30

Business meeting to consider S.105, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, S.240, to amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make improvements to that Act, S.241, to provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, S.390, to require Federal law enforcement agencies to report on cases of missing or murdered Indians, S.546, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, S.550, to provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, S.562, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna in the Rio San Jose Stream System and the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia in the Rio Jemez Stream System in the State of New Mexico, S.563, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of Ohkay Owingeh in the Rio Chama Stream System, to restore the Bosque on Pueblo Land in the State of New Mexico, S.564, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Zuni Indian Tribe in the Zuni River Stream System in the State of New Mexico, to protect the Zuni Salt Lake, S.565, to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Navajo Nation in the Rio San Jose Stream System in the State of New Mexico, S.612, to amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, S.620, to provide public health veterinary services to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for rabies prevention, S.621, to accept the request to revoke the charter of incorporation of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota at the request of that Community, S.622, to amend the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act to provide for the transfer of additional Federal land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, S.632, to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to allow Indian Health Service scholarship and loan recipients to fulfill service obligations through half-time clinical practice, S.637, to amend the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act to make improvements to that Act, S.640, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, to amend the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to make technical corrections to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund, S.642, to provide compensation to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for the taking without just compensation of land by the United States inside the exterior boundaries of the L'Anse Indian Reservation that were guaranteed to the Community under a treaty signed in 1854, S.673, to amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to authorize the expansion of the Miccosukee Reserved Area and to carry out activities to protect structures within the Osceola Camp from flooding, S.689, to approve the settlement of the water right claims of the Tule River Tribe, S.719, to amend the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to improve that Act, S.723, to require the Bureau of Indian Affairs to process and complete all mortgage packages associated with residential and business mortgages on Indian land by certain deadlines, S.748, to reaffirm the applicability of the Indian Reorganization Act to the Lytton Rancheria of California, S.761, to establish the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States, and H.R.165, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Committee

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

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Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-125.

Jun 4, 2026

Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-125.

Jun 4, 2026

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 429.

Jun 4, 2026

Passed House

Resolving Differences

To President

Became Law

Summary

What it does

Who is affected

Key provisions

Fiscal impact

Effective dates

Relationship to existing law

Stated purpose

Summary

Lifecycle of the Bill

IntroducedFeb 13, 2025

Passed SenateJun 4, 2026

Committee

Video

Sponsors & Co-sponsors (2)

Policy Area

Legislative Subjects (11)

Related Legislation (1)

Committees (1)

CBO Cost Estimate

Full Text

External Links

Bill Information

IntroducedFeb 13, 2025

Passed SenateJun 4, 2026

Committee

Video