I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5055 

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make acequias eligible for 

assistance, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2018 

Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of New Mexico (for himself and Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN

GRISHAM of New Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make acequias 

eligible for assistance, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Acequia Conservation 

5 Program Eligibility Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR ACEQUIAS. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1201(a) of the Food Se8 curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended by 

9 adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(28) ACEQUIA.—The term ‘acequia’ means an 

2 entity that— 

3 ‘‘(A) is a political subdivision of a State; 

4 ‘‘(B) is organized for the purpose of man5 aging the operation of an irrigation ditch; and 

6 ‘‘(C) does not have the authority to impose 

7 taxes or levies.’’. 

8 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

9 (1) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1201(a)(18)(B) of 

10 the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 

11 3801(a)(18)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘‘acequia,’’ 

12 after ‘‘Indian tribe,’’. 

13 (2) CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM.—Sec14 tion 1238A(b)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 

15 (16 U.S.C. 3838a(b)(2)) is amended by inserting 

16 ‘‘land of an acequia,’’ before ‘‘and forested land’’. 

17 (3) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.— 

18 Section 1238G(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 

19 (16 U.S.C. 3838g(f)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or 

20 acequias’’ after ‘‘Indian tribes’’. 

21 (4) ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR CON22 SERVATION PROGRAMS.—Section 1244(a) of the 

23 Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844(a)) is 

24 amended— 


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1 (A) in the subsection header, by inserting 

2 ‘‘AND ACEQUIAS’’ after ‘‘INDIAN TRIBES’’; and 

3 (B) by adding at the end of paragraph (2) 

4 the following: 

5 ‘‘(G) Acequias.’’. 

6 (5) AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT

7 PROGRAM.—Subtitle H of title XII of the Food Se8 curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865 et seq.) is 

9 amended— 

10 (A) in section 1265A(2)(A), by striking 

11 ‘‘or an Indian tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘, or an In12 dian tribe or acequia,’’; 

13 (B) in section 1265C— 

14 (i) in subsection (b)(1)(D), by insert15 ing ‘‘and acequias’’ after ‘‘Indian tribes’’; 

16 (ii) in subsection (d)(2), by striking 

17 ‘‘or Indian tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian 

18 tribe, or acequia’’; and 

19 (iii) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘or 

20 Indian tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, 

21 or acequia’’; and 

22 (C) in section 1265D(a)(2), by adding ‘‘, 

23 other than land of an acequia’’ before the semi24 colon. 


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1 (6) REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

2 PROGRAM.—Section 1271A(4)(E) of the Food Secu3 rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a(4)) is amended 

4 by inserting ‘‘, including an acequia’’ before the pe5 riod at the end. 

Æ 


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