S. 3308 · 117th Congress

Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act of 2022

Introduced on Dec 2, 2021 by Mark Kelly (D-AZ). 3 cosponsors, all from the sponsor's party. Became Public Law 117-343.

Stage
Became law
Public Law 117-343
Introduced
Dec 2, 2021
Cosponsors
3
0 from the other party
Policy area
Transportation and Public Works
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Sent to the President
  6. Became law

Official title

A bill to authorize the Colorado River Indian Tribes to enter into lease or exchange agreements and storage agreements relating to water of the Colorado River allocated to the Colorado River Indian Tribes, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Indian lands and resources rights

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Jan 5, 2023). Public domain.

Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act of 2022

This act authorizes the Colorado River Indian tribes (CRIT) to enter into agreements for the transfer or storage of a portion of its water allocation to be used in other locations in Arizona. The CRIT include four Indian tribes—the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, and Navajo. The reservation is located along the Colorado River in both Arizona and California.

(Sec. 4) The CRIT is authorized to enter into an agreement to lease or exchange a portion of the CRIT's consumptive use of water for use off the reservation if the receiving facility is located in the Lower Basin of the Colorado River in Arizona and is not located in Navajo, Apache, or Cochise counties in Arizona. The term of a lease under this section must not exceed 100 years.

(Sec. 5) The CRIT is authorized to enter into a storage agreement, including with the Arizona Water Banking Authority, for the storage of a portion of the consumptive use, or the water received under an exchange pursuant to an exchange agreement under this act, at one or more underground storage facilities or groundwater savings facilities off the reservation if the facility is located in the Lower Basin of the Colorado River in Arizona and is not located in Navajo, Apache, or Cochise counties in Arizona.

(Sec. 6) The CRIT is authorized to enter into an agreement for water conservation or other methods for voluntarily leaving a portion of the CRIT reduced consumptive use in Lake Mead, which is located in Arizona and Nevada. If the conserved water is delivered, the delivery must be located in the Lower Basin of the Colorado River in Arizona and is not located in Navajo, Apache, or Cochise counties in Arizona. The term of an agreement under this section must not exceed 100 years.

(Sec. 7) This section grants authority to the Department of the Interior to approve or disapprove of an agreement under this act. Interior is also authorized to enter into agreements with CRIT under this act, provided Interior pays fair market value for the reduced consumptive use. Among other requirements, Interior must ensure that water agreements under this act do not permanently alienate any portion of the CRIT water allocation.

(Sec. 8) Interior, when approving an agreement under this act, must ensure that such agreement complies with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and other federal environmental laws.

(Sec. 9) The CRIT must enter into an agreement with the state of Arizona prior to entering into an agreement under this act. The agreement with Arizona must outline all notice, information sharing, and collaboration requirements.

(Sec. 10) Interior must enter into an agreement with the state of Arizona and the CRIT describing the procedural, technical, and accounting methodologies for an agreement under this act.

(Sec. 11) This section reserves the CRIT's allocated water rights, including by ensuring that no agreement reduces or limits the right of the CRIT to use the remaining portion of their allocation.

(Sec. 12) This section prohibits an agreement under this act from interfering with an allottee's water rights. (Sec. 13) This section establishes that the CRIT is entitled to all consideration from an agreement under this act.

(Sec. 14) The United States has limited liability against claims under this act, except for those relating to the above environmental requirements.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Mark KellyD-AZSponsor

Democrats · 2

Independents · 1

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
    Dec 21, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 397–12

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Dec 2, 2021Introduced in Senate
  2. Dec 2, 2021 · SenateRead twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
  3. Mar 23, 2022 · SenateCommittee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-360.
  4. Nov 16, 2022 · SenateCommittee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  5. Dec 19, 2022Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Schatz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  6. Dec 19, 2022 · SenateCommittee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Schatz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  7. Dec 19, 2022 · SenatePlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 682.
  8. Dec 19, 2022Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  9. Dec 19, 2022 · SenatePassed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7287-7288; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S7287-7288)
  10. Dec 20, 2022 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  11. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseReceived in the House.
  12. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseHeld at the desk.
  13. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseMrs. Peltola moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  14. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9939-9941)
  15. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3308.
  16. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  17. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: H9980-9981)
  18. Dec 21, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 397 - 12 (Roll no. 538).House · Roll call 538
  19. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 397 - 12 (Roll no. 538). (text: CR H9939-9941)House · Roll call 538
  20. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  21. Dec 22, 2022By Senator Schatz from Committee on Indian Affairs filed written report. Report No. 117-286.
  22. Dec 22, 2022 · SenateBy Senator Schatz from Committee on Indian Affairs filed written report. Report No. 117-286.
  23. Dec 28, 2022Presented to President.
  24. Dec 28, 2022 · HousePresented to President.
  25. Jan 5, 2023Signed by President.
  26. Jan 5, 2023Signed by President.
  27. Jan 5, 2023Became Public Law No: 117-343.
  28. Jan 5, 2023Became Public Law No: 117-343.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 5, 2026 · loaded Oct 5, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.